For Love of a Slytherin
by StormyFireDragon
Summary: The battle in the Department of Mysteries is over. Harry receives his inheritance and things change rapidly for him. Love appears to him with the most unlikely of person. The forces of light must prove love conquers all. SLASH HP/DM
1. Summer of Changes

DISCLAIMER – Harry Potter and its affiliates are the sole property of JK Rowling.

Note – Thank you for all the wonderful reviews for my first trilogy. I have finally decided to start the eagerly awaited slash. Please note that you will see similarities between my stories. Some of the key elements I got such wonder reviews on that I will use them in this story as well. I want to point out that this is a gay slash. If you are uncomfortable with reading things that are very homosexual, then I suggest that you do not read any further than this.

**Chapter 1 – Summer of Changes**

Harry sat at his window looking out at the morning sunshine. Once again he had a bad night. He absently stroked Hedwig. She knew her owner and human friend was hurting. There was little the snowy owl could do. Harry had no earthly idea about what to do with himself. He had now lost the one man that would have done anything for him. Harry went back and reviewed over and over in his mind those last few minutes in the Department of Mysteries. He heard in his mind once again Sirius taunt Bellatrix. He saw once again the bright flash of green and the surprised look on Sirius' face when the Killing Curse hit him. He saw once more the look on Sirius' face when he fell through the veil. From there Harry relived the time after that. He remembered Dumbledore arriving and rounding up many of the Death Eaters that had infiltrated the Department of Ministries. Harry vividly went through his mind chasing Bellatrix out of the department and into the entrance. He remembered the pain of Voldemort being in his mind and the concern on the face of Albus Dumbledore while the voice of Voldemort taunted Albus trying to get him to kill Harry. Tears fell from Harry's eyes as he started crying once more for the man that he loved so dearly. Harry held a deep secret in his mind and the one person that he could have shared that secret with was now gone. Hedwig flew out of the window. Harry watched her leave. Within a few moments, he heard a knock on the door.

"Harry," said his Aunt Petunia. "May I come in?"

Harry was not used to his relatives being nice to him. What ever was in the letter that Albus wrote to them apparently had an impact. Dudley no longer hit him all the time or did mean things, and Aunt Petunia was nice to him. Uncle Vernon did not change much, but he no longer said or did mean things to Harry. He just didn't talk to him at all unless it was absolutely necessary. Vernon always did his best to answer as politely as he could, but Harry knew it was just a farce.

He got up and answered the door. Aunt Petunia walked in with a suit in her hand and Hedwig on her shoulder.

"You have a very smart bird here," she said as she came in. "She flew to the window and got my attention. How long are you going to beat yourself up over what happened? No one blames you."

"I know," said Harry wiping away yet more tears. "I can't help feeling responsible though. It was like seeing Cedric die all over again. Every time I get close to someone they end of getting hurt or dying. I just don't know what to do anymore."

"Harry," she said. "I know that I have not been the best mother type to you. I know that red haired woman loves you more than I ever have. However after having you as my surrogate son for almost 16 years and having Dudley for a biological son, it seems to me that you are holding on to more than that."

"What do you mean?" asked Harry in a confused voice.

"You look like you have a secret that you are dying to tell someone, but you don't know how," she answered. "I may not understand about school and the rest of it. I can barely get myself to even refer to it, but YOU are still my flesh and blood. If you need someone to talk to just know, that I will do my best to listen and be non judgmental."

"Thank you Aunt Petunia," said Harry. "I know that having me here is not the easiest thing for you. I have so much going through my mind right now that I feel like I will explode soon."

"Harry I have a couple of questions for you," she said. "After that, you need to get dressed for dinner. I bought this suit for you for the funeral tomorrow. It should fit."

"Thanks," Harry said. "It looks about the right size. What questions do you have for me?"

"First I want to know what happened to your hand," she said. "I would also like to know from your words what happened last month that has you so upset."

"My hand is like this because Umbridge was using an illegal dark object on me," said Harry. "As you know, at school we don't use things like ink pens and notebooks. We use parchment and quills."

"I remember from when Lily went there," said Petunia.

"Well Umbridge was using what is call a Blood Quill," said Harry registering the fact that his Aunt called his mother by name.

"Without going into a whole lot of detail," she said. "Give me the basic outline here. I am missing something."

"It is a quill that has been enchanted so that the user writes with his or her blood as the ink," said Harry. "She used this on me all year so that I would stop telling people about You- Know- Who."

"You mean the guy that killed your parents?" she asked.

"The very same one," said Harry.

"But why would she do that if it was the truth?" asked Petunia a little confused.

"Because the truth was a threat to her position," said Harry. "Fudge would have gotten fired for turning away and letting Voldemort have free access to anywhere he wanted. With Fudge getting fired, she would have lost her own position as she was his biggest supporter. She is the one that sent the Dementors after me and Dudley that night."

"THAT BITCH," shrieked Petunia making Harry jump. "It is a good thing then that you always carry your thingy with you. You saved Dudley. For that you will always have my gratitude. Now tell me about why you are always depressed and crying these days."

"Well Sirius is dead," said Harry flatly. "I never got a chance to talk to him about things like love interests and stupid, every day stuff. With him getting cleared, I could have moved in with him and left you and Uncle Vernon in peace. I know I am not easy to live with, and I know that you are uncomfortable with my gifts. This arrangement would have worked out best for all of us. Then the prophecy got smashed, and the Death Eaters started attacking us. Bellatrix killed Sirius. She laughed as she did it. Dumbledore tried to help me, but it was too late. I had run off after her and Voldemort possessed me and tried to get Dumbledore to kill me. Then I thought about Sirius and Hermione, and Ron and the rest of my friends and he left me. Now he is scared of me. Dumbledore says it is because he can't bear to possess such an innocent loving person. Now Voldemort stays away from me. That doesn't mean he still doesn't want to kill me, but he doesn't want to do it in that manner anymore."

"Good thing you are so good hearted then," said Dudley poking his head into the room. "I am sorry to intrude Harry, but there is a man downstairs that says he needs to talk to you. He is really old with lots of silver hair and beard."

"That would be Professor Dumbledore," said Harry. "Thanks Dudley. Please tell him I will be right down. Thanks for the suit Aunt Petunia and thanks for talking with me. I am very confused right now as there is someone that I think I am in love with, but my head tells me that it should not be."

"Let me guess," she said. "It is another boy?"

"How did you know that?" he asked. 

"How about we talk about that later?" she said. "For the moment you should go wash your face and then go see what Professor Dumbledore needs to talk with you about."

Harry left the room as Petunia carefully hung his suit in the closet. The funeral was tomorrow and she wanted him to look nice for it. She was still very uncomfortable with magic and those who used it, but she could not stand to see Harry so broken and defeated. What would she do if something like this ever happened to Dudley? She gave a shudder and went down the stairs.

"Ah Petunia," said Albus politely. "You gardens look wonderful. How are you doing?"

"I am fine thank you Professor," she said. "My gardens look the way they do because it is the only thing I can get Harry to do other than sit in is room and cry all day. I really do hope you can help him. I seemed to have made some headway today, but there is still so much hurt and sadness in him."

"I will do my best," promised Albus. "Where is your husband?"

"I am in here," said Vernon from the den. "I have more trouble than my wife and son with being as acceptant, but I have not been cruel to the boy."

"I am thankful for that," said Albus. "The last thing he needs now is more pain in his life."

"That is what I was thinking," aid Vernon gruffly. "What is going on today that you are here? I thought the funeral was tomorrow."

"It is," said Albus. "I am here to discuss with Harry his inheritance. I am hoping that you will let me intrude upon your hospitality for a little while."

"Would you like us to leave?" asked Petunia. "We don't want to intrude upon anything."

"Actually it would be better if you stayed as some of it will need to be addressed to you," said Albus. "There are a few important issues that I must discuss with Harry and you are after all his legal guardians."

The three Dursleys looked a little uncomfortable at this. Petunia who knew Albus many years, finally nodded her head and she and Dudley sat together on the couch. Vernon offered Albus a chair and then went to sit next to his wife and son. A few moments later, Harry walked hesitantly into the room. Albus could see that Petunia was correct and that Harry did a lot of crying.

"Harry," said Albus smiling. "Please come in and have a seat. I have some things I need to talk to you about. It will be painful for you, but the Ministry has asked me to talk with you. I have one favor to ask of you all. Would it be possible for Professor Snape, Miss Granger, and Mister Malfoy to come in out of the sun and be comfortable for a little bit?"

"Severus is here?" asked Petunia getting up. "Of course they can come in. No don't get up Professor Dumbledore, I will show them where they can sit and provide refreshments for them."

"That is most kind of you," said Albus. "Harry I know you are confused, but there have been a few issues that I have had to take care of. Some of it Professor Snape has to tell you himself. All I ask is that you keep an open mind and of course try and stay calm."

"I will do my best," muttered Harry as Draco, Severus, and Hermione walked in.

Draco had that normal sneer on his face that he always had when he came near Harry. However there was something different in the way he looked. Malfoy didn't seem so cocky. His eyes met Harry's briefly. Harry wondered for a few moments at the blush that crept up his neck and face. Severus nodded to Harry and then he sat down on the love seat escorting Draco next to him as he sat. Hermione smiled at the Dursleys and then went into the kitchen to help Petunia. Ever observant Hermione saw the flush on Draco's face and she also saw it mirrored on Harry's.

"Harry we are here for a number of reasons today," said Albus. "First off we need to tell you that Minister Fudge has been fired. We also need you to give Professor Snape and I detailed information regarding the Blood Quill that Delores Umbridge was using on you. From there we need to discuss the matter of your inheritance. Lastly we need to let you know why young Mr. Malfoy is here."

"I'm glad that Fudge was fired," said Harry through gritted teeth as Petunia and Hermione came in with drinks for everyone.

"I bet you are," said Severus darkly. "Please tell me about the Blood Quill. Miss Granger will take notes."

Harry was taken back at first. Severus Snape actually said please and to him of all people. He quickly shook his head and launched into his tale. Hermione quickly copied every word Harry said. Harry gave dates and times and reasons for the usage of the quill. He gave names of other students he saw with problems similar to his own.

"Do you mind if Mr. Malfoy takes a picture of your hand Harry?" asked Albus. "It will be better than actually having to drag you into court when the charges are filed against her."

"Not at all Sir," said Harry.

"Just place your hand flat on your knee and I can get a shot if it like that," said Draco to Harry.

Harry placed his hand on his knee. When Draco looked down, he gasped. He knew what a Blood Quill did, but he had never seen the finished result before.

"It's ok Draco," said Harry smoothly. "It doesn't hurt anymore."

Draco didn't say anything. He just took a couple of pictures and repositioned Harry's had a couple of times. Every time Draco touched Harry, a charge of electricity passed between the young men. Draco and Harry both blushed.

"Next Harry," said Albus as if nothing in the world were happening. "I would like to talk with you about your inheritance."

"We know this will hurt you Potter," said Severus. "However it does have to happen."

"I will live," said Harry unable to meet the black eyes of his least favorite professor.

"Firstly Harry," said Albus. "You will be coming of age at sixteen instead of seventeen. This is the reason that your Aunt and Uncle are present."

"What does that mean for me or for them?" asked Harry.

"This means that on July 31st, that you will no longer have to live here," said Albus. "It means that you will be an adult in all aspects of the word. The same thing will happen with Mr. Malfoy. This is the reason that he is present today. It is my hope and wish that the two of you help one another until you are both seventeen."

"You want us to work together?" asked Harry. "Surely Professor you have not forgotten that Draco and I have not liked each other since we first met."

"I am aware of your animosity towards one another," said Albus. "Times have changed and the two of you need to change with them."

"I will do my best," said Harry.

"So will I," said Draco.

"That is a nice start," said Albus. "Now as for your inheritance Harry, you will of course get all of the Black Family fortune. Sirius left his will very specifically written. You also inherit No. 12 Grimmauld Place. Once you turn sixteen, you will also inherit the Potter Mansion and the Potter Family fortune. That means that you inherit the house elves from both locations."

"You mean I have inherited Kreacher?" asked Harry angrily. "I don't want that slimy bit of scum."

"Relax Potter," said Severus. "It is not as bad as it seems."

"Isn't that the elf creature that lied to Harry and got his Godfather killed?" asked Dudley.

"That is correct in summary," said Albus smiling at him. "Harry you do not have to keep him. Just summon him and we can change his ownership to myself or one of the others sitting here."

"Do you want him Hermione?" he asked.

"No Harry," she said. "I am a Mudblood remember. He will only serve a pureblood."

"Do not call yourself that Miss Granger," said Albus sharply. "Harry there are only two of us here that are pureblood. Draco and myself. Just order Kreacher to bond with one of us."

"I don't want him either," said Draco. "I have no use for traitorous house elves."

"Kreacher," called Harry.

With a small pop the house elf appeared. Vernon grunted and Petunia glared at the filthy thing on her spotless floor.

"Master called," said the elf bowing low. "Ungrateful half blood, that he is."

"Shut up," said Harry. "You will bond immediately with the Head Master Albus Dumbledore. That way you won't have to deal with me and I won't have to look at you anymore."

A golden glow surrounded both Albus and Kreacher as the ownership of the elf changed over.

"Report to Hogwarts," said Albus sternly to the elf. "I want you to have my rooms cleaned by the time that I get there."

"Yes Master," Kreacher said.

With a small pop he disappeared. Albus took out his wand and cleaned the dirty spot that Kreacher left on the floor. Petunia visibly relaxed and Vernon calmed down.

"Harry there are two house elves that would like to bond with you," said Albus.

"Really?" asked Harry. "Why would they want to do that? I don't want servants."

"They want to bond with you because they love you," said Hermione speaking for the first time during this conversation.

"Who are they?" asked Harry nervously.

"Dobby and Winky," Albus called.

With two small pops, there were two clean elves standing in front of everyone.

"Hey I know you," said Vernon pointing at Dobby. "I saw you before that pudding smashed all over the place the night I lost my client."

"Dobby is sorry for that Sir," he squeaked. "Dobby is only wanting to protect Harry Potter."

"Dobby and Winky want to bond with me?" asked Harry.

"We does," said Dobby bowing to him.

"What do I have to do?" asked Harry.

"Just place a hand on both of their heads and state your full name and that you want to bond them to you," said Hermione.

"Are you ok with this Draco?" Harry asked nervously. "After all, Dobby was your house elf."

"Was is the key word there," said Draco. "No, it doesn't bother me."

"Thanks Draco," said Harry standing.

He placed a hand on Dobby and Winky's heads gently.

"I, Harry James Potter, wish that Dobby and Winky be bonded to me," he said.

A golden glow surrounded the trio. When the glow died out, Dobby and Winky were wearing a smart little uniform that had the Potter crest on it.

"Well done Harry," aid Albus. "Here is another part of your inheritance."

He pulled out two rings. The first had the Black Family crest on it and the other had the Potter Family crest on it. As he slipped the two rings on his fingers, they shifted in size to fit his fingers. It was then that Harry noticed that Draco was wearing a similar ring with the Malfoy Family crest on it.

"It seems that Sirius knew what he was doing after all," said Albus. "If you were not eligible for the Black Family fortune, the ring would not have adjusted to fit you."

"So how many accounts do I have at Gringotts now?" asked Harry.

"For the moment three," said Albus. "I just need you to sign these documents and then have your Aunt and Uncle sign them as well and all three vaults will be combined."

Harry signed the documents quickly and then handed them to his Aunt and Uncle who also signed them. When they were done, Harry handed the documents back to Albus.

"How much money are we talking about here?" asked Harry.

"Roughly?" stated Albus. "About 130 million galleons."

There was a thud as Harry's eyes rolled up into his head and he fainted. Petunia rushed over to him. Albus knelt beside Harry and pointed his wand at him.

"Enervate," said Albus quietly.

Harry woke up with a large lump on the back of his head.

"Did I hear you correctly sir?" asked Harry a bit shaken.

"I am afraid you did," said Albus politely. "Now as it is only the beginning of July and you need to stay here until your birthday, I was wondering if it would be ok with you Petunia and Vernon, if Harry stayed here until that time."

"Of course it is Professor Dumbledore," said Petunia. "That gives us time to finish the conversation we were having when you arrived."

"Then it is settled," said Albus warmly. "Harry we will pick you up tomorrow at about eleven for the funeral. Here is your list of supplies that you will need to get for your upcoming school year. Professor Snape has agreed to escort you to Diagon Alley day after tomorrow to buy your things along with Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger. On July 31st, I will be coming to get you and I will bring you to the castle. From there you, Miss Granger, and Mister Malfoy will be joined by Mr. and Miss Weasley for some special training. We better grab Mr. Longbottom and Miss Lovegood while we are at it."

"Special training for what?" asked Harry.

"For the future," said Albus ominously. "For now put it out of your mind Harry. Try to enjoy yourself for the next three weeks. For now, we must take our leave."

Albus, Severus, Draco, and Hermione all stood up. Albus and Hermione both gave Harry a hug. Severus nodded at Harry and walked to the door. Draco held out his hand for Harry to shake. When their hands touched, both young men blushed again. Both Hermione and Petunia noticed it. Once again Albus pretended that he saw nothing. He thanked the Dursleys for their hospitality and the quartet left.

Author's note – I will end this chapter here. Please let me know what you think.


	2. The Genealogy Revealed

DISCLAIMER – Harry Potter and its affiliates are the sole property of JK Rowling.

NOTE – Thank you for the wonderful reviews. I barely posted the last chapter and I got hit with some wonderful reviews. Once again I stress to everyone reading that if you have a problem with gay rights or a gay love story, then I beg you to please not read it. If you do read it and you get offended, then it is not my fault. You have been given ample polite warnings. **This IS a gay romance story**.

**Chapter 2 – The Genealogy Revealed**

Harry stood at the window for a few minutes staring into space. He knew he would not see the quartet that just left. Harry was sure that between Dumbledore and Snape the others were already apparated somewhere else. He gave a sigh and turned to head upstairs to iron a shirt for himself for the funeral the next day. When he turned around all three of his blood relatives were staring at him. Dudley was staring at him in awe. Vernon was staring at him in a calculating manner. Petunia however, looked at Harry sympathetically.

"I think I will go upstairs and iron my shirt for tomorrow," Harry told the trio. "Uncle Vernon, do you have a black tie that I could borrow?"

"Yes," he said still looking at Harry oddly. "I will have your Aunt bring it to you later."

"There is no need," said Petunia quickly. "I bought you a black one. It is in the pocket of your suit. Why don't you go on up and I will call you when dinner is ready?"

"Thanks Aunt Petunia," said Harry.

Harry went up the stairs and into his room. As he was about to go get everything he needed to iron his clothes, he saw that Dobby was already ironing his shirt for him.

"Thanks Dobby," he said. "I could have done that."

"Dobby is doing this for his new Master," said the elf bowing low. "Winky is downstairs helping Harry Potter's Aunt fix dinner."

"Dobby can I get you and Winky to do me a big favor?" asked Harry. "Would the two of you not call me Master? All you need to do is call me Harry or if you must Harry Potter. Please don't call me Master or Sir. Can you do that for me please?"

"As you wish Harry Potter," said Dobby. "I will tell Winky when I see her."

"Will you and Winky come with me to the funeral tomorrow?" he asked the elf.

"If you is wanting us to," said Dobby. "Dobby could even go and tell the Head Master that we will bring you."

"That would be great Dobby," said Harry. "Thanks. I better go down and make sure that Aunt Petunia is doing ok with Winky."

Harry smiled at Dobby and headed down the stairs. Aunt Petunia was sitting at the dining room table and Winky was cooking dinner.

"She told me she didn't want my help," said Petunia. "I felt it was best to stay out of the way."

"Thanks Aunt Petunia," said Harry. "I am sure dinner will be wonderful. Do you think we will have a problem with Uncle Vernon eating what an elf prepares?"

"With an aroma like that, I highly doubt it," she said with an unusual giggle. "So shall we talk some more?"

"Yes I have time now," he told her. "Dobby is upstairs ironing my clothes. All of them."

Petunia gave another laugh. Harry relaxed a bit more. He had never seen his Aunt laugh this much in the nearly fifteen years he lived with them.

"What is that delicious smell?" asked Dudley coming in the room.

"Pot roast and potatoes, Harry Potter's relative," said Winky starting to set the table. "Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes. Would Mistress like Winky to pour some wine for dinner?"

Harry looked at his Aunt and gave a slight nod of his head. She understood at once what it meant.

"That would be lovely Winky," she replied. "Could you bring a glass to err, Uncle Vernon in the den?"

Winky bowed low and then got the glasses and poured the wine. She handed a glass first to Harry and then Petunia and Dudley. With another bow she brought a glass to Vernon. They could hear him grunt something in the other room.

"I hope he doesn't say anything mean," said Harry. "If he doesn't like something she will punish herself. Punishments for elves are more severe than they are for humans as they are self inflicted. Dobby ironed his hands for the pudding incident."

"Oh dear," said Petunia. "Maybe we should say something."

"I'll do it mom," said Dudley. "It is obvious that I am interrupting a conversation. Just let us know when dinner is ready."

Winky walked back into the room with a smile on her face. She was enjoying herself. It had been almost two years since she was able to wait on a Master. Harry hoped that Dobby would tell her his request soon.

"So is that the boy you are interested in?" asked Petunia catching Harry off guard.

Harry blushed deep red and looked down at his wine glass.

"No need to answer," she said. "I can tell from the look on your face that he is. He had a similar look on his face when he looked at you."

"He did?" asked Harry. "He and I have been enemies since the day Hagrid took me to get my supplies. We have fought and argued with each other ever since."

"Well they do say that opposites attract," said Petunia wisely.

"You do not seem all that surprised by this," said Harry still very red in the face. "You even seem to have fewer problems with this than my heritage."

"That is because I am a woman," she said. "I'm a, what do you call them, a muggle woman. I do not understand about the heritage passed on to you by Lily and your father, but I do understand matters of the heart. Love knows no boundaries Harry. If your heart is telling you that this young man is the one for you then I suggest that you act upon it. Life doesn't offer too many chances at true love."

Harry sat still absorbing each word she said. He was so lost in thought that he did not notice Winky putting dinner on the table. He even didn't notice Dudley and Vernon come in and sit down to eat. When dinner was over, Harry picked up his dishes and walked over to the sink to start cleaning them. Winky made to intercept him, but he shook his head. He needed something to do with his hands. As his family finished eating, Harry picked up their plates as well and washed all of the dishes.

"What is wrong with him?" asked Vernon looking confused.

"For the first time in his life he is listening to what I have said," she replied. "I offered him some advice and from the look on his face, I would say he thinks it's the best anyone could give him."

"What advice did you give him?" asked Dudley.

"The same advice your father will give to you when the time is right," she said with a smile.

Vernon looked at her for a moment in confusion. All of a sudden his mouth formed an oh of understanding. He held out his glass as Winky poured him some more wine.

"I still don't get it," said Dudley.

"Now is not the time son," said Vernon. "Never fear. For once what Harry is going through you will actually go through yourself more or less. It is nothing for you to be concerned with right now."

Harry finished the dishes and then finished cleaning up the dining room. When he was done, he turned off the lights and made his way to his bedroom. Winky was lying on a blanket in the corner of the room.

"Where is Dobby?" he asked.

"Dobby went to speak to the Head Master about tomorrow," she said. "He will be back soon."

"Ok," said Harry. "We do have a fold out bed that we can set up for you and Dobby if you want to be more comfortable."

"No thank you Harry Potter," she said. "I is comfortable here."

Harry shrugged his shoulders and picked up the pair of pajamas that were lying on the bed. He went into the bathroom to shower and clean up. When he was finished, he went back to his room to find that Dobby had returned.

"The Head Master says that Winky and I can bring you to the funeral tomorrow," said Dobby. "He said to be there for ten thirty."

"Thank you Dobby," said Harry climbing into his bed.

He turned out the light and rolled over to sleep. It was not long before the nightmare started. He once again relived everything that had happened in the Department of Ministries. He relived everything that happened in the Atrium. No matter how hard he struggled, he could not wake up. All of a sudden he got the shock of his life as it felt like someone doused him in ice. He woke with a start and looked around. Vernon and Petunia were standing over him. The house elves were scared and huddled in the corner. When Harry's nightmare started and they could not wake him, Winky ran for his Aunt and Uncle. Vernon did the only thing he could think of to wake Harry. He got a very cold glass of water and threw it on him.

"Are you ok?" asked Vernon looking a bit pale.

"I am now," said Harry wiping his forehead. "Thanks. That was the first time I could not wake up from the dream."

"Let's get you out of those wet clothes," said Petunia holding a dry towel for him. "Your elves can change the sheets. Come on before you start shivering."

Harry got up and took the towel from her. He went to the bathroom where Dudley was waiting to help him if he needed it. Harry's hands were shaking so bad that Dudley had to help him get undressed. When he was done, he buttoned Harry's shirt for him and led him back to the bedroom.

"I am so sorry to have woken up the whole house," said Harry. "I feel so stupid for not being able to wake up from a bad dream."

"It was not a normal dream Harry," said Petunia. "You were talking in your sleep. You said, you killed him and now I will kill you. This was not a nightmare was it? This was a memory of what happened to you at the Ministry place.

"Yes Aunt Petunia," said Harry with a look of shame on his face. "I am sorry that you had to hear that. I am not a violent person."

"Was that woman the one that you hate so much?" asked Vernon despite himself. "It would seem she is a really bad person."

"She is," said Harry. "On her orders, my friend Neville's parents were tortured until their minds snapped. They now live in St. Mungo's as vegetables. On her orders, many other people were tortured or killed. She is like a general in Voldemort's army."

Petunia had her hand over her mouth in shock. Vernon looked at Harry with a different kind of look in his eyes.

"You plan on leading the opposing army aren't you?" he asked Harry.

"The prophecy states that I have to be the one to kill Voldemort in the end," he said. "So in a manner of speaking, yes I will be leading the forces of Light in this war."

"No wonder you are having so many sleepless nights and bad dreams," said Dudley. "I sure don't ever wish to be in your shoes."

"Well try and get some sleep Harry," said Petunia. "You have a busy day tomorrow and we don't want you to be tired."

"If he starts with another nightmare come and get me," said Vernon. "I won't hesitate to come help."

They turned to Harry, but noticed that he had already fallen asleep.

The next day dawned early for Harry. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. Dobby was already laying his suit out on the bed for Harry. Winky entered the room with a tray with some of Harry's favorite dishes on it. He ate in silence and then got up to get dressed. His hands were shaking badly. He went downstairs and started to get frustrated with his tie. He could not get it to knot right. Petunia took pity on him and the tie and came to the rescue. Within seconds she had it knotted the right way. Harry acted on impulse and gave her a hug. She was surprised at first, but she returned the hug.

"Does your hair ever lay flat?" she asked.

"No," Harry sighed. "We have even tried it my way and it still pokes out everywhere."

"I have something for you," she said pulling a black box out of her pocket. "These were your mom and dad's rings. It is time that you have them. I was going to give them to you for a graduation present, but I see now is the appropriate time."

Harry opened the box and looked at the gold rings inside. In each band were three stones. A garnet, an aquamarine, and a ruby were in that order on each ring. Harry realized that they were the Potter's birthstones. He gazed at them until he heard his Aunt remind him that he needed to get ready to leave for the funeral.

"What was the point," he thought as he closed the box and put it in his pocket. "There is no body. How can there be a funeral. Just a reason for us to stand around and have our pain heard from the lips of someone else."

Dobby and Winky came in and they walked with Harry into the backyard. They gave a twitch, and apparated with him to the funeral. Many people walked up to him and gave him their condolences. Harry sat there barely recognizing the faces as they came and went. Albus sat on one side of him and Draco sat on the other. Dobby and Winky sat neatly at his feet waiting. The preacher went on about the good values of Sirius and about how he was wrongly imprisoned. Tears began to fall from Harry's eyes. Albus was crying also. Draco handed Harry a handkerchief and Harry accepted it with a small smile and a blush. Draco blushed also and patted Harry on the arm. He turned away then and left Harry to mourn. When the service was over, Harry made to give the handkerchief back to Draco, but Draco told him to keep it. Harry tucked it into the pocket over his heart. Severus did not speak to Harry, but there was a lack of hate in the dark eyes. He nodded to Harry and took Draco by the arm and led him away. The Weasleys all converged on Harry and Albus next. By the time they were done, Harry felt even more miserable then he had before. They had each other, and Harry was alone with two house elves that did not know Sirius the way he did.

"Don't worry Harry," whispered Hermione. "Something tells me you will not be alone for long. Look at Draco."

Harry glanced over and saw the blond looking at him with pain in his eyes. Harry realized at once that it was not pain for himself but for Harry's grief. When Draco realized that Hermione and Harry were looking at him, he blushed and looked away. Severus eyed the transaction silently.

The elves brought Harry home to Privet Drive. Harry went up to his room to change while the elves busied themselves around the house cooking and cleaning. Harry sincerely hoped that the Dursleys would not get too accustomed to the elves. When Harry left, so did the elves. Harry went outside and began to weed the garden. It was one of the few things he enjoyed doing. He did it because he felt that Sirius could smell the flowers he so carefully cultivated and tended. Winky brought him some lunch that he barely ate. She eyed Harry carefully masking her worry for him. The day ended and Harry went up to shower and get ready for dinner. He barely ate his food then either. This was something that Petunia was quick to notice though she said nothing. Harry left the dishes for the elves to clean and went up to his room. He sat down and wrote a letter to Draco.

_Draco,_

_Thank you for the handkerchief. I know that you and I have not been the best of friends. Let's face it. We have hated each other for a long time. I don't know about you, but I am willing to let the past stay in the past and move on ahead and look to the future. If nothing else, maybe we can be good friends. There is no law saying that a Gryffindor and a Slytherin can't be friends. My mom was a Gryffindor and Professor Snape was Slytherin and they were good friends though most of their time in school. I don't know what else to say here so I will end with thanks._

_Harry_

Harry folded up the letter and handed to Hedwig. He told her who it was for and she hooted in assurance and flew out of the window. He watched her until she disappear into the distance. He sat on his bed and picked up his potions book from the previous year. If he was going to do better, then he had better study harder. Harry read through the book carefully. His Aunt found him a few hours later with the book open on his chest. She carefully took it out of his fingers and marked his place. She set the book on the desk and turned out the lamp. The elves nodded and smiled at her and she could not help but smile back. Harry would be well looked after from now on. Those two tiny beings would see to it.

The next day, Harry got dressed and ate a light breakfast. Snape was due in a few minutes to take him and Draco to Diagon Alley to purchase their school supplies for the upcoming year. Prompt as always, the bell rang at ten o'clock and Harry opened the front door to see Severus and Draco standing there. He let them in and they proceeded to the privacy of the back yard.

"Before we leave Potter," said Severus. "The Head Master has asked me to work with you again this year with your Occlumency. Draco will be taking the class with you. I hope that you are better at it this year than you were last year."

"I will work harder," said Harry. "I can't make any promises, but I will work harder."

"I can't make any promises either," said Snape. "I will do my best to not badger you so bad this year."

"Thank you Sir," said Harry. "I was wondering if you could do remedial potions with me this year also. I want to improve."

"I was surprised to see you get an E in potions," said Severus. "I will let you in my advanced class. I will pair you with Draco and Miss Granger. They are the top in the class at potions. With their help, you should pass the advanced course."

"I didn't know my grades Sir," said Harry. "I have not gotten my letter yet."

"Not to worry," said Severus. "Here it is."

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_We are delighted to announce that you have passed all of your classes with the following grades._

_Transfiguration – O_

_Potions – E_

_Charms – O_

_Herbology – E_

_Defense against the Dark Arts – O_

_Divination – A_

_History of Magic – A_

_Care of Magical Creatures – O_

_Astronomy – O_

_Congratulations on your nine OWLS_

"Can I see Harry?" asked Draco.

Harry was surprised to hear Draco use his first name. He handed the sheet of parchment over amazed. Severus raised an eyebrow at the young men, but didn't say anything. Draco pulled his own scores out.

"We are pretty matched on everything," noted the blond Slytherin. "Want to take the same classes this year? This way you can help me where you are stronger and I can help you where I am stronger."

"Sounds good to me," said Harry in an awed voice.

Draco handed him his letter back. When Harry put it in his pocket he noticed that a second sheet was with the first one. Draco looked pointedly at Severus and didn't comment. Severus grabbed an arm of each young wizard and apparated them to Diagon Alley. They stopped first at Gringotts and each wizard got gold out of their accounts. From there, they shopped for books on Transfiguration, Charms, DADA, Potions, Herbology, and much to Harry's delight COMC.

When they were done shopping, Severus bought lunch for both of them. After they ate, he apparated them back to the Dursley's back yard.

"Don't forget Potter," said Snape. "Dumbledore will be picking you up on the thirty first. He will send you a letter about the time. Now if you will excuse us, Draco and I have an appointment."

Harry thanked both Draco and Severus and watched as they turned on the spot and apparated away. Harry turned and entered the kitchen. He went up the stairs and sat down at his desk. He placed his books on the desk and reached into his pocket for the letter that Draco has handed him.

_Harry,_

_I am not good at this sort of thing. I like your idea. I would like to be friends with you. I will not lie to you and tell you that we will have an easy time of it. The other Slytherins are pretty upset with me right now and I don't want you to be the brunt of their anger. If you are really that interested in being friends, we will have to do it quietly at first. I am not sure what the Head Master has in store for us for the month of August, but I am sure that you and I will be fine. Thank you for wanting to be my friend after everything I have put you through. I think that Hermione Granger will be an asset to our friendship._

_Draco_

Harry read the letter twice more absorbing the words on the page. Harry noted that Draco had a beautiful handwriting. He thought about what Hermione had said.

"You won't be alone for long," she had whispered to him. Did she know something that he and Draco hand not figured out yet? Harry reached for his first book. He sat for hours reading it and studying it. When he read the book from cover to cover, he picked up the next one and did the same. He had an odd thought. He stared at the first book with an odd expression. He could remember everything he just read clearly. He closed the second book. Again the thought went through his mind that he could remember quite clearly everything he just read. Harry picked up the third book and read it cover to cover and again he had perfect recall.

"This is odd," said Harry. "I have never been able to remember every word in the book before. I wonder what is going on. I better mention this to Professor Dumbledore when I see him."

Harry went to bed that night. His head was spinning. Every book on DADA he ever read surfaced to his mind. He felt he could recite each and every book by heart. He also was having the same issues with his charms and transfiguration books as well. With a little luck he would do well with his potions also. The next day saw Harry at his desk eating a light breakfast reading through his COCM book. Just like with the rest of them, Harry remembered the book word for word. Harry was truly starting to panic now. Did someone cast a spell on him or something? He reached for his Herbology book and the same thing happened. What was going on here? He had saved Potions for last because it was his hardest subject. He read the book from cover to cover just like the rest of them. He had a brief moment of wonder at how fast he was reading the books. On top of that, he was remembering each lesson in every book. Harry went to his trunk and opened it. He reached in and pulled out all of his books. Harry sat up late into the night reading them. Each time he closed a book, Harry knew that he would never have to open them again. What was happening here? Harry had Dobby clean out his trunk of all the old candy wrappers and broken quills and such. When this was done, he had Winky pack his trunk carefully. Harry kept out the encyclopedias on DADA that Remus and Sirius had given him and read through them. Every word sunk in like a sponge. Harry had to ask someone what was going on. He sat at his desk and wrote to the one person who seemed to know everything.

_Dear Professor Dumbledore,_

_The strangest thing is happening to me. It feels like someone has put a spell on me or something. I have already memorized all of my books for the upcoming school year. I even memorized the potions books. I went back and read again all of my old school books and I have them all memorized as well. I am starting to freak out. Can you please tell me what is going on?_

_Thank you in advance_

_Harry Potter_

Harry sealed the letter and handed it to Dobby. He would get there faster than Hedwig would. Ten minutes later saw the Head Master walking up the front walk with the house elf by his side. Harry ran down the stairs quietly. He did not want to wake up the Dursleys. He opened the door before Albus had a chance to ring the bell.

"Ah Harry," said Albus smiling. "Why don't we go for a walk? I think I have an answer to your question."

Harry shut the door behind him and had Dobby stay there to keep an eye on the place. He walked beside the old wizard and waited for the explanation.

"I found the most unusual of books the other day hidden deep in the castle," said Albus. "It is a book that will update itself on the different families of the wizarding world. It would appear that you are more special than any one of us ever thought possible."

"In what way Sir?" he asked.

"Let me show you," said Albus sitting on a bench and pulling out an old book from his pocket. "Here is my family tree. It shows the birth dates and death dates where applicable. Trace my family tree back and tell me what you see."

Harry followed the names back recalling in detail each and every one.

"You are a descendant of Godric and Rowena," said Harry in astonishment.

"That is correct," said Albus. "Please indulge me for a while as I make my point slowly. Search for Mr. Longbottom and tell me what you see."

Harry found the Longbottom family and traced with unerring memory all the way to the founders.

"He is a descendant of Godric and Helga," said Harry.

"Now search for Professor Snape," instructed Albus with a smile in his voice.

Harry read and searched through a few pages.

"A descendant of Salazar and Rowena," said Harry. "No wonder he is so intelligent."

"An astute observation Harry," said Albus. "Would you like to tell me the lineage of Mr. Malfoy?"

"Salazar and Helga," said Harry without hesitation.

"Humor me some more Harry," said Albus as Harry was absorbing the information in the book rapidly. "What about Minerva?"

"Godric and Salazar," said Harry without bothering to be distracted from reading the next few pages.

"Very good indeed," said Albus. "What about Miss Lovegood?"

"Helga and Rowena," said Harry closing the book with his face in shock. "The Weasleys are all descendants of Godric only. Tonks is actually related to Salazar, Hagrid is related to Helga, and Hermione is a descendant of Rowena. I thought she was muggle born."

"The bloodlines of each individual named has thinned immensely in the generations that have passed," said Albus. "There is only one person who has a bloodline that has NOT thinned."

"Me," said Harry quietly. "I am a descendant of the four founders. All four of the founders. That can't be right. My mom was a muggle born."

"Not all wizards have magical children Harry," corrected Albus pleasantly. "Not all muggles have non magical children."

"Then that means that in the Evans line my mother was not the first witch or wizard," said Harry recalling the passage he saw of his own name. "My dad's side has never had a non magical witch or wizard in the line, but my mother's side produced a squib."

"Very good Harry," said Albus. "It would seem that the founders are passing on their information to the true heir of Hogwarts. Oh people like Mr. Malfoy or Professor Snape can say that they have claim to it. In a sense they do, but you are the only one that has a complete and honest claim to the castle and the inheritances that go with it. Once you turn sixteen you will come into your complete inheritance."

"Voldemort is wrong," said Harry pacing. "He is not the last living descendant of Slytherin. There are seven others not counting me."

"Very good Harry," said Albus. "Only he doesn't know that."

"So he doesn't know about Pansy Parkinson, Bellatrix, or Lucius either for that matter," said Harry in wonder.

"No he doesn't Harry," said Albus sadly. "It is only a matter of time before he finds out though. When he does, we better hope that the forces of Light are powerful enough to stand against him."

"So it isn't a spell on me," said Harry. "I am just coming into my own power."

"The power of all four founders," said Albus. "Everyone else came into the parts that pertain to their ancestor. I have a list of books that I want you to study. They will be brought to you at Number 12 when you arrive there. Also the night of your sixteenth birthday you will receive the rings of your ancestors. You, Miss Lovegood, Mr. Longbottom, and Miss Granger are the only ones that do not have theirs. That is because you are not yet of age."

"That is a lot of information to take in," aid Harry.

"It is just the beginning," said Albus. You and I have much to discuss. But that is not until you are of age. I promise that we will talk more when you turn sixteen. For now I bid you goodnight."

Harry walked back to the house and locked the door. He sat up late into the night thinking about everything he heard and learned.

AUTHOR'S NOTE – Boy did I make this a long chapter. I hope that I did not miss out on explaining anything. Here is where I am taking a bit of my first trilogy and adding it in here. However this time, Harry is not alone. He will not bear the weight of the world on his shoulders in this story. I want him to be more human here. Thanks for understanding.


	3. Lets Learn A Spell

DISCLAIMER – Harry Potter and its affiliates are the sole property of JK Rowling.

DISCLAIMER – This is a gay slash story. If you are uncomfortable or intolerable with gay rights or homosexual activity, then I humbly ask that you not read this story. Thank you in advance.

NOTE – Thank you all for the wonderful reviews. For Love of a Slytherin is breaking all my goals and records for the most read story. I sincerely appreciate each and every person who is reading it.

**Chapter 3 – Lets Learn a Spell**

The rest of the month of July went by. Harry had sent Dobby to Diagon Alley and bought the books he needed for seventh year. He read through each and every book and could remember with clear detail every word that was printed in each and every book. Three more times, Harry sent Dobby to Diagon Alley for books. Harry read through each and every one carefully. He knew without a doubt that he would become the top in his class. He would pass Hermione and Draco in every single subject.

The day of July 31st arrived. Harry was not one that enjoyed his birthdays as he never really had a party or anything before. He went downstairs and to his surprise, there was a pile of gifts sitting on the table for him. Winky brought him his breakfast and Harry sat there eating while staring at the packages. His family all were sitting with him eyeing his reaction to the packages sitting there. Finally Petunia could contain her excitement no longer.

"Harry," she said with a smile. "Happy birthday. I left the back window open so that the owls would have an easier time getting in to bring your presents. Please open them."

She grabbed the first one and handed it to him.

"This one is from us," she said.

Harry opened it to discover a new watch inside. He quickly put it on his wrist.

"Thank you," breathed Harry. "I love it."

"You are welcome," said Petunia grabbing the next package. "This one is from Miss Granger. I did like her. She was polite."

Harry opened it and found a few different things in the package. Inside was jewelry cleaner, oral hygiene products and a new shirt.

"This is a break from tradition for her," said Harry trying on his new green button down shirt. "She usually gets me books."

"That shirt fits you nicely," said Petunia. "And it goes with your eyes. This package is from Albus."

Harry opened it and gasped in surprise. Lying nested in the wrapper, was a pensieve just for him.

"What does that do?" asked Dudley.

"It is a device that allows me to put memories in for a later viewing," said Harry. "I know this cost him a fortune."

"This package is from Severus," said Petunia. "I think it was nice of him to buy you something."

"I agree with you," said Harry. "He and my dad hated each other from the moment they laid eyes on each other."

"I know," said Petunia. "Lily sent me letters about it. Did you know that I grew up not to far from Severus?"

"Really?" asked Harry pausing in the middle of opening his package. "Wow the things you learn when you are not expecting them."

The gift Snape sent Harry was none other than a complete potions kit. Harry knew that this gift would come in handy for the classes. Petunia handed him his next gift.

"This one is from the Weasleys," she said.

"Those are that lot with all that red hair right?" asked Uncle Vernon.

"Yes," aid Harry as he opened the package. "They kind of adopted me. I saved Ginny in our second year. In fourth year I gave some money to the twins to help them build their joke shop. They love me."

Inside the package was some fudge that Harry passed around to the Dursleys. Also a new sweater was knitted for Harry with the Gryffindor lion on it. Ron had enclosed a sneak – o – scope, and Ginny gave him a gold chain.

"Very nice people," said Petunia. "This fudge is delicious."

"Mrs. Weasley is an awesome cook," said Harry.

Petunia handed Harry the next package this one was from Minerva. In it was some new every day robes in different colors.

"This is odd," said Harry holding up some pale blue robes. "I wonder why she sent me these."

"Why is that odd?" asked Vernon.

"Our school robes are black," he replied. "I will not be allowed to wear these to school."

"Maybe things are changing," said Petunia. "Don't worry Harry. I am sure that Professor Dumbledore will explain everything. You still have one more gift to open. This one is from Draco Malfoy."

"Draco sent me a present?" asked Harry awed.

"It would appear so Harry," she said. "Go on and open it. I for one am curious as to what he bought you."

Harry carefully opened the present. He was careful with the wrapper as he wanted to save it. Inside was a jewelry box. He carefully opened the lid of the box and nestled in the compartment where the rings go was a beautiful silver ring that held a Ruby. Harry took the ring out and placed it on his finger. It was a perfect fit. There were tiny diamonds that shone on each side of the ruby in the ring. Harry glanced down and noticed that there was a letter folded neatly in the box. He opened it and read.

_Dear Harry,_

_Hermione told me that you rarely get birthday gifts. Therefore I am enclosing a gift in a gift. Thank you for sending me the letters this past month. The more I get to know you the more I like our new friendship. You are indeed a rare and special person. The insight into your mind is a wonderful experience. Thank you for being such a great person. I will see you this evening._

_Happy Birthday_

_Fondly_

_Draco_

Harry read the letter twice more. When he was finished, he showed his Aunt the beautiful ring and let her read the letter. She smiled at him.

"I told you so," she said. "He is just as interested as you are."

"Winky," said Harry. "Would you please help Dobby bring all of this upstairs and pack it carefully in my trunk? We have about an hour to go before Professor Dumbledore gets here to escort us to the castle. Please place my mom and dad's wedding rings in the beautiful jewelry box that Draco gave to me."

"Of course Harry Potter," she said picking up the packages. "Do you want me to bring your trunk downstairs when we is finished?"

"Yes, please," said Harry. "Do not forget Hedwig's cage. Tell her I will meet her at the castle."

"Consider it done Harry Potter," she squeaked as she headed out the room.

"I know that you are in very capable hands now Harry," said Petunia helping Harry clear the wrappings off the table. They will care for you from now on. Oh look, it's a letter from Hagrid."

Harry took the letter and opened it. Inside of the letter was a picture of an egg that was sitting in the fire.

_Dear Harry,_

_I got this for you for your birthday. It will hatch this evening when you are here at the castle. This is a phoenix egg. Dumbledore thinks there is more than one in the egg. We will see. Don't forget Albus is picking you up at noon._

_Love from _

_Hagrid_

"A phoenix egg," breathed Harry. "That is something that is very rare and very valuable."

"Isn't that those birds that come back to life when they burst into flames?" asked Dudley.

"Yes Dudley," said Harry. "I am glad that you listened to Mrs. Pope's lesson on mythical creatures."

"You mean these things actually exist?" asked Vernon reaching for the picture.

"In my world a lot of the mythological creatures exist," said Harry handing over the photo.

"Wow," said Vernon handing him the photo back. "I want to tell you one thing. I am sorry for treating you so bad while you were here. I don't understand a lot of what you do, nor do I want to. You seem to have a lot of things that hurt you. I hope that these other people will help you with that. Just know that you can call us anytime Harry. We all here wish you the best of luck."

"Thank you Uncle Vernon," said Harry. "I really appreciate that. Thank you for taking me in when I was a baby. Your generosity is what has kept me alive all of these years."

"Do me one favor Harry," said Petunia as she opened the door for Albus. "Catch and destroy the bastard that killed Lily and James."

"You don't even have to ask," said Harry standing up to greet the Head Master.

"Hello Sir," said Harry. "It is a fine day for travelling. Thank you for the pensieve. I am sure that it will come in handy."

Albus chuckled.

"Whenever you are ready Harry," said Albus. "Dobby and Winky arrived a few minutes ago with your belongings. They are now setting up your things in your new room at the castle. Mr. and Miss Weasley and Miss Lovegood are already there as is Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Longbottom. Miss Granger is especially eager to see you. I will wait for you in the yard."

Albus bowed to Vernon and Dudley and kissed Petunia's hand.

"Thank you for helping Harry these last few weeks," he said. "I am not sure what you did, but whatever it was worked. He seems happier and healthier."

"I don't think it was necessarily anything we did," said Petunia. "It was the letters that he has been getting from that young man that has made him smile."

Albus chuckled at Petunia's words and went stand outside. Harry got up and held his hand out to Vernon. At first Vernon eyed him suspiciously. When he realized that this was not a trick, he stood and shook Harry's hand. Harry shook Dudley's hand as well. He gave his Aunt a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you all again for everything," he said with tears in his eyes.

"Good Luck boy," said Vernon.

Harry turned and went outside to stand by Albus.

"Harry I am sure that you know how to apparate," he said with a twinkle in his eyes. "Flourish and Blotts has been sending me reports on what you have been buying and reading. I will apparate with you in a side along. That way if you make a mistake, I can help you correct it."

Harry took a deep breath and smiled. He recalled word for word the verbatim regarding apparition. Albus gently took his hand.

"You will have to apparate us to Madam Rosemerta's," said Albus.

Harry nodded and pictured the pub. In a matter of moments, he turned on the spot and then felt like he was suffocating. In the next second, he was standing in the pub with Albus smiling down at him.

"Well done Harry," said Albus. "That was perfect to the letter. I will make sure you get your license for apparating. Shall we go to the castle now? There are quite a few people that are eager to see you. I know one young man will definantly be delighted to see you."

"Draco?" asked Harry.

"Succinctly," said Albus. "With the exception of Miss Granger, the others do not fully trust young Mr. Malfoy just yet."

"I hope they get used to him being around," said Harry opening the door for his mentor and friend. "It will get tiresome to hear the others putting him down. Did you see what he bought me for my birthday?"

"I helped him pick it out," said Albus smiling as he and Harry started down the road towards the castle. "I wish you the best of luck with him. He really is a delightful young man. This brings me to something else that I wish to talk with you about before we get to the castle."

"I am all ears Sir," said Harry. "What do you need to talk with me about?"

"How do you feel about sitting for your NEWTS tomorrow?" asked Albus. "You already know your curriculum by heart."

"I can try Sir," said Harry. "I do not think I am strong enough in potions to pass it without the help of Draco and Hermione though."

"I think you will do splendidly," said Albus. "Special quarters have been made for you, Mr. and Miss Weasley, Miss Granger and Miss Lovegood. Also Mr. Longbottom and Mr. Malfoy will be there. We have established your own personal wing as it were."

"That would be great," said Harry. "Yes, I will sit and start taking my NEWTS tomorrow then."

"Excellent," said Albus. "You will find that there are a few changes in the castle. As the summer ends and the new school year starts you will notice that there will be even more changes made. Are you hungry? Lunch is about to start."

"Yes Sir I am," said Harry smiling.

He and Albus walked into the great hall. They were met by the members of the DA that was with him in the Department of Mysteries. Draco hung back and watched the scene before him. Harry was dressed in the green shirt that Hermione gave him with the necklace around his neck from Ginny. On his fingers were the Potter Family Ring, the Black Family ring, and the silver ring from Draco. When the rest of the group all made comments and hugged Harry, they backed off.

"We don't know why he is here," said Ron pointing at Draco. "I wish he wasn't."

Hermione and Ginny didn't say anything. Both ladies gave Ron a scowl and a glare. Harry however, really didn't hear what Ron had said. His eyes were locked on Draco's. Draco in turn had his eyes locked on Harry. Harry lifted his hand and showed Draco where the ring he had given him was located. Draco smiled in relief at this.

"I didn't know if you would like it," said Draco.

"I love it and the box you sent with it," said Harry. "I also love each and every letter you sent to me."

Albus made his way to the staff table. Harry glanced around and noticed that there was a new table on the main floor that faced the house tables. When he was done taking in his surrounding, he focused his gaze back on Draco. Hermione and Ginny both waited with baited breath. Albus and Severus also waited watching the scene before them play out.

Ron and Neville were looking at Harry wondering why he was looking so strange.

Harry never took his eyes off Draco. Draco never took his eyes off Harry. Finally Harry walked forward and took Draco's face in his hands. Draco's eyes widened at first in shock. However his gaze never left Harry's face. Finally Harry leaned over and planted a feathery soft kiss on Draco's lips.

Hermione and Ginny both gave a sigh of relief. The suspense was killing both of them. Ron and Neville looked shocked at this. Albus and Minerva looked over at the two young men and smiled. Severus didn't say anything, but his eyes never left the couple.

"Well this is something that you don't see everyday," said Luna.

Everyone around Harry and Draco laughed openly at this. Even Severus smiled briefly, but was quick to hide it. He knew he had to sit both young men down and have a talk with them. As if Harry could hear his thoughts, he looked over to Severus.

"My channels are open Professor Snape," he said. "You can see in my mind that I am not playing a game here."

"So it seems Potter," said Severus less harsh than he usually spoke to Harry. "However, secrecy and decorum are prudent here. This is not something you want to push in the faces of the other students of the school."

Draco had grabbed Harry's hand as he turned to face the potions master.

"We will be decent about this," said Draco. "My shields are down also. You can see that I am not playing a game here either."

"Draco and Harry?" asked Ron before Snape could comment. "Are you serious? How could you?"

"That is enough Mr. Weasley," said Albus sharply. "True love doesn't happen often, but when it does who are we to deny it. Tolerance is needed here."

"Yes Sir," said Ron quickly. "I am sorry about my reaction. It just caught me by surprise, is all."

"What we need is for you all to work together," said Albus. "Mr. Malfoy has skills that will help you as well. There is a reason for you all being here for this month. We will talk about this when lunch is over. Please have a seat and let's eat. The new table you see before you is for your use from now on."

"Even when school starts?" asked Hermione sitting down and putting food on her plate?

"Yes Miss Granger," said Minerva. "That is the plan. We will tell you all about it after lunch."

The group of adults and the seven teenagers sat down and ate. Harry sat on one side of Draco and Hermione sat on the other. That something odd was going on did not seem to bother the new couple. Harry and Draco kept blushing at each other as they held hands under the table. Ron did not say anything, but he looked thoughtful at his best friend and his once upon a time bitter enemy. Hermione made it a point to engage Draco in conversation when she could. He was respectful to her and talked with her as an equal.

"I am so happy for you both," she told him. "I have been waiting for ages for you guys to realize that you were meant for each other."

"I honestly thought Harry was in love with Ginny," admitted Draco.

"Harry and I are like brother and sister," said Ginny. "The feelings we have for each other are purely different. I am glad for you both as well. My fear is what the other students will think."

"Now that is something we will be working on," said Severus from the staff table. "We will assist Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy all that we can. However, you will have to help us as well."

"Harry and Draco will need to be discreet," said Minerva. "The more they lie low and not rush to tell the world, as it were, the better the rest of the student body will have in accepting the pair. After all it is not uncommon for same sex pairings in our world."

"I have read about many," said Hermione. "That is why I knew what signs to look for in both Draco and Harry. I am very happy that they finally are allowing their true feelings for each other to be known."

"It will take me some time to get used to this," said Ron. "I promise to help out in any way that I can. Before you ask, no my friendship with Harry will not change over this. It is just getting used to Draco that I will be working on."

"I think it is sweet," said Neville piping up for the first time. "I for one am very happy for them."

"Well said Mr. Longbottom," said Albus. "While we are sitting here chatting and eating desert, I see no reason not to talk to you all. Harry wrote me a letter during the summer about him memorizing every book he owns. When I received the letter I went immediately to his house and talked with him."

Albus pulled a few boxes out of his pockets. He walked to the teenagers and placed one box in front of Hermione, Ron, and Ginny. He placed two boxes in front of Luna, Neville, and Draco. In front of Harry he placed four boxes. Harry knew what was in the boxes. He did not open his. He watched the expressions on the faces of the other students. When each had their boxes open, they all looked at Albus with confusion in their eyes.

"Harry would you like to do the honors?" asked Albus with a smile. "After all you know the book better than I do."

Harry blushed red a little as he got up and kissed Draco on the forehead. Hermione and Ginny beamed.

"Professor Dumbledore found a book in the castle one day," began Harry. "It was a book on genealogy. As I was looking through the pages I found out some very interesting things about each and every one of you. Neville, you are a descendant of Godric and Helga. Luna, you are a descendant of Helga and Rowena. Draco, you are a descendant of Salazar and Helga. Ron and Ginny you are a descendant of Godric. Hermione, you are in fact a descendant of Rowena Ravenclaw."

"We are related to the four founders?" asked Draco in an awed voice.

"Yes we are," said Harry.

"Harry you didn't tell us which founders you are related to," said Hermione. "I naturally think it is Godric."

"Correct Miss Granger," said Severus. "Mr. Potter is a descendant of all four of the founders."

"Holy Hell," said Ron looking up from the ring on his finger. "No wonder Harry is the way he is."

"In a manner of speaking that statement is correct," said Severus. "Harry has the true blood of all four founders in his veins. Our claim to the castle and the inheritances from the four founders is no where near as strong as his."

"Wow more money for you Harry," said Ron frowning slightly. "I am so jealous."

"Money is the least of his concerns Weasley," snapped Minerva. "It means that he is a walking bull's eye. That means more burdens will be placed on his shoulders. More trouble for Harry in the future."

"Thus the reason for you all being here for the rest of the summer," said Albus. "Tomorrow Harry will sit for his NEWTS. I have no doubt in my mind that he will pass every single subject with an E at the very least. Also the staff members will be training you in special classes to help defend Harry."

"What can we do to help him?" asked Draco.

"I am glad you asked," said Severus. "You all will be Harry's body guards."

"Body guards from what?" asked Neville. "Harry seems to be doing ok on his own without our help."

"There are students in this school that are not on the side of light," said Albus. "There are certain students who are also descendants that are leaning rapidly towards the darkness. It will be your job to stop those that wish to harm Harry."

"You can count on me," said Draco and Ron immediately.

Both looked at each other and then burst out laughing.

Albus sat back in his chair with a twinkle in his eyes.

"I have one thing to say to Draco," said Ron. "If you ever hurt Harry in any way you will have to answer to me. Other than that, welcome to the family."

"I will do my best to never hurt Harry," promised Draco. "You have my word as a descendant of Salazar and Helga."

"Excellent," said Albus. "Harry there is one more thing we wish to discuss with you."

"I am listening," said Harry pulling his eyes away from Draco and gazing up at Albus.

"We would like you to be the new DADA teacher this year," said Albus.

"What did you say?" asked Harry rubbing his ears. "I can't be a professor here. I am too young."

"Young is correct," said Severus pulling out his wand. "However you are definantly skilled."

"Petrificus Totalus," said Severus aiming the curse at Harry who did not have a wand in his hands.

Harry did not even reach for his wand. He simple mumbled "Protego" and watch as Severus got his with his own spell.

"Wandless magic with no training," said Minerva impressed as she performed the counter charm on Severus.

"That was very good Potter," said Severus when he finally stood. "So do you think you can handle the position of DADA teacher?"

"I thought you wanted the post," said Harry in a confused pleading voice.

"I want someone qualified in the post," said Severus. "You are that person."

"You are the only one that the castle will allow Harry," said Albus. "The founders came to me and spoke. It is you they want."

"What about the students?" Harry asked in a desperate voice. "They are not going to want to learn from me. That goes especially for the Slytherins. They all hate me."

"You leave that to me," said Severus. "Now stop delaying Potter. Are you going to take the post or not? For every argument you have, we have a counter."

"Yes I will take the job," said Harry. "You all will need to help me though."

"You don't even have to ask," said Minerva. "We will help keep an eye on you and if at anytime you have a question all you have to do is ask."

"Ok," said Harry defeated. "I will gladly take the post. Can I stay sitting at this table with my friends?"

Albus laughed and even Severus smiled.

"Yes Professor Potter," he said. "Your friends will have to keep in mind that though you are close, that you are still a professor. I highly doubt that you will have too much trouble with that portion of it. Oh yes, one more thing. All of you will be taking Occlumency classes with Professor Snape, Animagus training with Professor McGonagall, and Legilimency lessons with me. During those lessons, you will also be learning about the history of Tom Riddle. Harry if you could work with the group on wandless magic I would appreciate it."

"No problem," said Harry. "Is it possible for me to go lay down? I have a lot to think about and I could use some rest."

"Of course Harry," said Albus with his eyes twinkling like mad. "Why don't you lot show Harry your section of the castle while we professors get everything set up for Harry's NEWTS tomorrow."

Harry and the rest of the group stood up. Draco grabbed Harry by the hand and led him from the Great Hall. Albus laughed behind them.

"Do you think he will be ok now?" asked Severus.

"Without a doubt," said Albus. "Are you ok with the pairing Severus?"

"I have looked into both of their minds," he replied. "It looks very genuine and solid to me."

"Our fear for Harry will be lessoned then," said Minerva.

"So it would seem," said Albus.

Meanwhile, Hermione and Draco along with the rest of the group pulled Harry to their new set of rooms.

"We each get our own room," said Hermione. "They have wards on them and everything. We are allowed to go into each others rooms, but only if we know the password. Draco and I have already seen each other's rooms. I have seen everyone else's but yours."

"Well then let's go look at my rooms," said Harry with a laugh.

They reached a section of the castle that was used little. When they reached the door, Hermione gave the password of "oven mitts" and the door opened. Inside the common room were seven desks. Each one had a book case behind it on one side and a door that led to the bedrooms on the other side. Harry had no trouble identifying which room was his. Each room and desk had a gold or silver name plate on it with their name. Harry pressed his hand to the door and it opened.

"I think my password will be the word _founders_," said Harry to the group at large.

They all entered the room and gasped in amazement. Everything was decorated in rich mahogany furniture. The curtains were burgundy velvet. The head board on the bed had the Hogwarts coat of arms on it. There were two more doors to the rear of the room.

"That is your bathroom on the right and your closet to the left," said Hermione.

"Wow," said Harry. "I have no other words than that."

"Dobby and Winky have already brought your things into your room and set everything up for you," she said pointing to where his pensieve sat on a table and his jewelry box from Draco sat on the book shelf. "All of your clothes are hanging up and such. Professor Dumbledore wants to take you shopping for clothes that fit instead of your cousin's hand me downs."

"We will take you after your NEWTS are done," promised Draco. "Like you Harry I am a legal adult now."

"Can I show you all something special?" asked Harry leading the group to the couches in his room.

"What is it Harry?" asked Neville.

"Aunt Petunia gave me something at the beginning of the month on the day of Sirius' funeral." said Harry as he walked over to the jewelry box and took out the ring box. "She gave me my mother and father's wedding rings."

There were audible gasps of awe as the box was passed around to each individual.

"If things go well for us Draco," said Harry. "I will add your birthstone to this ring and give it to you to wear. I will call it our engagement ring."

"When we make it to that point," said Draco. "I will wear it gladly."

Harry blushed at those words. He gave a huge yawn.

"All right everyone," said Ron. "Lets give the two lovebirds some alone time. Harry, try and get some rest. You have a big day tomorrow."

"I promise Ron," said Harry. "I am tired and could use the sleep. I will see the rest of you later. Can someone wake us for dinner?"

"You got it Harry," said Ginny with a giggle as she shut the door behind her.

Harry walked over to the bed and pulled the covers down. He went into the bathroom and cleaned up. From there he put on some comfortable clothes and got into the bed. Draco walked over to him and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I will do everything in my power to help you Harry," he said.

Draco bent his head and kissed Harry soundly on the lips. When the kiss finally ended, Draco stood up.

"You get some rest," he said. "I will see you later."

With that, the blonde Slytherin walked out of Harry's room quietly shutting the door behind him. Harry laid there for a few minutes thinking about the kiss. He nodded off to sleep with a smile on his face.

AUTHOR'S NOTE – I will end this chapter here. I want to give justice to each and every chapter I write for this story. Please send me all the reviews you can so that I can know how to proceed. Thanks in advance.


	4. The New DADA Professor

**DISCLAIMER** – Harry Potter and its affiliates are the sole property of JK Rowling.

**DISCLAIMER** – This is a gay slash love story. If you are uncomfortable with gay rights, or homosexual references, then I humbly beg you to not read any further than this.

**NOTE** – To all my fans that are enjoying the story so far, I want to thank each and every one of you personally. For Love of A Slytherin is breaking all sorts of records, both personal and otherwise. It is becoming quickly a favorite of many. Thank you all. I hope that I can keep you entertained.

**Chapter 4 – The New DADA Professor**

The next morning came quickly for Harry and the others. The prior evening saw Hermione and Draco going over potions with Harry. Harry would nod and smile and agree to what they were saying. Neville sat with Harry and went over things covering Herbology. Harry was as happy as he could be. From there they brushed up on his transfiguration, charms, COMC, and any other subject that Harry was interested in.

When the morning came, Harry and his friends made their way to the Great Hall. They were surprised a little by the examiners that were present.

"Which subjects are we testing you on?" asked one of the examiners.

"All of them," said Harry. "I have read up on each and every subject that the school curriculum has to offer. I would like to attempt to sit my NEWTS for all of them."

"Mr. Potter," he said. "You do realize that is thirteen different exams as well as the practicals for each?"

"Yes Sir," said Harry. "I was in the library with some of my friends until late last night going over things. I am sure that I can get at least and acceptable on each and every test."

"Very well," said the examiner. "Today we will do COMC, DADA, and Charms. Tomorrow we will do Transfiguration, Potions, and Herbology. Monday we will do Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, and Divination. Tuesday we will do History of Magic, Muggle studies, and Astronomy. There really isn't an exam for flying, but from what we know of you, you would already have an outstanding in that subject anyway."

"That sounds good to me," said Harry. "Shall we get started then?"

The examiner sat Harry at the Gryffindor table and handed him the written exams for DADA, Charms, and COMC.

"YOU have three hours to finish all three exams," said Madam Marchbanks. "You may begin now."

Harry picked up the quill provided for him and looked down at the Charms exam. He smiled and dipped his quill into the ink. Forty five minutes later, Harry put that exam on the side and picked up the COMC exam. He read down the list of questions and smiled again. He dipped the quill in the ink once again and started filling in the answers. This exam only took him thirty minutes to complete. Harry gave a sigh of relief and moved it over with the Charms exam. He picked up his DADA exam and started laughing. Like before, he dipped his quill into his ink and started filling in the answers. An hour later, he stood up and rolled up all three exams. He handed them to the examiner who had a shocked look on her face.

She opened the exams and sat there for a moment with stunned look on her face. Every question had an answer written in. She looked over at Dumbledore who smiled and nodded. She sat down and started grading his exams. The other examiner took Harry to the side and started his practical exams. Harry breezed through COMC. Hagrid gave him a thumbs up when he was done. Harry followed the examiner inside where he was given his practical exam in charms. Harry flawlessly did each and every charm and counter charm. The second examiner took Harry through his DADA practical. Harry had the man crying by the end of the exam. Harry did not bother to use his wand for the exam. In addition, he performed each curse and counter curse nonverbally.

"For a bonus point Mr. Potter," he said. "May I see your patronus?"

Harry raised his wand and pointed. "Expecto Patronum!"

The silver stag erupted out of his wand and was so bright that many in the hall had to shield their eyes. The stag galloped the full length of the hall. When it came to Draco, it bowed its antlered head to him. Harry released the spell on it and the room sat there amazed.

"That was some happy thought you had there Mr. Potter," remarked the examiner.

"I have lots to be happy about these days," he replied looking over at Draco.

Draco heard the remark and blushed. Hermione and Ginny were giggling at his side. Ron guffawed and mock punched him in the arm. Behind Harry and the examiner, Albus was chuckling quietly. Madam Marchbanks handed the results to Albus.

"Harry," he said. "We have your results of your exams. Would you like to hear them?"

Harry started to get a little nervous. He looked over to Hermione and Draco. The entire teenage group came up to stand with Harry. Draco and Hermione each grabbed a hand as Ginny and Ron wrapped their arm around his waist. Neville and Luna stood as close to him as they could get.

"Yes Sir," said Harry. "I am ready to hear my results."

"In your written exam for COMC you got every single question correct," said Albus. "Your practical exam went just as smoothly. I am delighted to say that you got an outstanding for your COMC NEWT.

Harry smiled as Draco kissed him on the cheek. Hermione was jumping up and down excitedly.

"For your charms exam," continued Albus. "You made one small error on your written exams, but you passed your practical exams with flying colors. You have earned an outstanding on your Charms NEWT."

Harry was smiling in relief by this time. Draco grabbed his face and gave him a kiss on the lips that floored everyone around them. Soon giggles could be heard.

"Yes," said Albus with a chuckle. "You DADA test is quite remarkable. In all my years of teaching and running a school, I have never seen anyone receive a score like this. Not only did you answer the questions asked, but you gave alternatives as well. On your practical exam you scored a 200% and on your written exam you scored a 300%. I guess that means you scored and outstanding, outstanding."

Harry was delighted by this bit of information. The rest of the group all hugged and kissed and pounded him on the back.

"Very good Harry," said Albus walking over and shaking his hand. "I firmly believe that you have broken all sorts of records."

"I would say so," said Madam Marchbanks. "I have never seen scores like this before in my life. Well done Mr. Potter."

Harry and the rest of the group all sat down to eat lunch. Minerva, Pomona, Filius, and Severus all walked over and congratulated Harry on his scores.

"The question you missed was so minor on your charms exam that I am surprised they even took a point off," squeaked Professor Flitwick. "A spelling error Potter was all it was."

"At least I still got an outstanding," said Harry shaking the hand offered to him.

After lunch, Harry and the group of teenagers made their way to the library. They studied all the way until it was dinner time. Harry was worried more about his potions exam than the other two. He did not want to upset Severus and have him go back to the way he was before. While Snape did not embrace Harry with open arms, there was a lack of hostility. Severus actually spoke to him rather than look down his nose at him. After dinner, the group went back to their quarters. They sat for a few hours playing chess and talking. Harry sat at his desk and made a list of all the books he wanted to put on the shelves behind his desk and in his room. When he finished the list he set it to the side. Hedwig would take his request to the book store for him tomorrow. He opened the letter that was sitting on his desk. It had the Gringotts seal on it. Harry opened the letter and read it.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_We are pleased to announce that we have finally been able to combine all of your accounts into one. With careful recordings we are happy to announce that not only do we have your relics categorized for you, but we have come up with the final total of money you have. Enclosed is a list of all the property you own, the items that are not money in your vault, and of course the chart of money itself. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us here at Gringotts. Here is wishing you a pleasant evening._

_Griphook_

The second letter made Harry stand up, gasp, and then pass out.

_Dear Mr. Potter _

_Here is the list of your properties_

_The Gryffindor Manor_

_The Ravenclaw Manor_

_The Slytherin Manor_

_The Hufflepuff Manor_

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_The Potter Manor_

_No. 12 Grimmauld Place_

_No 15 Grimmauld Place_

_The Black Family Castle_

_You also have 140 paintings in your vault. There are gems and other trinkets as well in your vault. _

_Your money is as follows_

_100 Million Galleons_

_350 Million Sickles_

_900 Million Knuts_

_750 Million Galleons worth of semi precious gemstones._

_500 Million Galleons worth of precious gemstones._

_Again if you have any questions about your vault or your property, please let us know._

When Harry's head hit the floor, everyone came running up to him. Hermione sent Neville and Luna after the school nurse and the Head Master. When the adults arrived, they found Draco sitting on the floor with Harry's head in his lap.

"What happened?" asked Madam Pomfrey.

"We don't really know," said Hermione. "Ron and Draco were playing chess. Ginny, Luna, and I were talking about Harry's test scores. Neville was watching Draco and Ron. Harry was sitting at his desk. I saw him open the envelope on the desk and read. When he got to the second page, he stood up and fainted."

Albus leaned over and picked up the sheets of parchment. As he read the letter, his eyebrows rose higher and higher into the sky.

"Have any of you read this letter?" asked Albus to the room.

"No Sir," said Ron. "Draco would not let us anywhere near the letter. He said that was Harry's business."

"He was quite right in that aspect," said Albus watching Harry come around. "Harry, do you mind if your friends read this letter?"

Harry waved his hand to Albus in acknowledgement. He then winced as he placed his hand on the knot in the back of his head.

"I really need to stop doing this before I break my skull," said Harry to a laughing Poppy and Albus.

Meanwhile the rest of the students had all read the letter. None of them said much of anything. Ron and Ginny were a bit red as they were poor and Harry knew it. Hermione, Neville, Luna, and Draco just stood there and didn't say anything.

"Do not worry about it," said Harry sitting in the chair at his desk. "I will take care of the Weasleys. I have way more than enough to go around."

"You don't have to do that," muttered Ron going even redder.

"I will anyway," said Harry. "I think we should do something to help Remus also. I can set up an account for him too. That way he can get himself some new clothes. Professor Dumbledore, what am I going to do with all of these houses? I can only live in one spot."

"You can either sell them or donate them," said Albus with twinkling eyes. "If I may I have a suggestion to make a suggestion to you?"

"Sure," said Harry.

"Why not give the Weasleys the Gryffindor Manor as they are a descendant," said Albus. "You can give No 12 to me for permanent head quarters for the Order of the Phoenix. You can also give No 15 to Remus. That will rid you of three of the properties that you don't want. You can visit each of the others and take what you want from each location and then sell them."

"That sounds good," said Harry. "Draco, don't you have an aunt that is not a Death Eater?'

"Yes," he replied. "Aunt Andromeda Tonks. Why do you ask?"

"We can give her and her husband and Tonks the Slytherin Manor," replied Harry. "That will be one less house for me to worry about."

"That is very kind of you Harry," said Draco. "We can help you write the letters if you want."

"Why don't I take care of all of that," said Albus with a twinkle in his eyes. "That way you all are free to continue with your activities."

"That would be great Professor Dumbledore," said Harry.

"Please Harry," said Albus. "You are a professor now. First names will do from now on, even for Severus."

"Thanks Sir," said Harry. "I mean, Albus."

Chuckling, the Head Master led the school nurse out of the room. Harry was a little tired from all of the day's events. He retired to his room and after a goodnight kiss from Draco, he fell asleep.

The next day started just like the one before. Harry sat his written exams in the morning and had his practical in the afternoon. Harry scored an outstanding in both transfiguration and Potions, and scored an exceeds expectations in Herbology. Minerva and Severus were impressed with his scores. Each came over to congratulate him.

The following days saw the same routine. When it was all said and done Harry had scored the following

Ancient Runes – E

Arithmancy – E

Astronomy – O

COMC – O

Charms – O

DADA – OO

Divination – E

Herbology – E

History of Magic – E

Muggle Studies – O

Potions – O

Transfiguration – O

Harry was delighted by his results. There was a party for him to honor his getting twelve NEWTS. This was a record for the books. No one had ever taken that many exams before. Those that tried usually failed half of them. Harry was happy that it was over.

The following day, Albus and Severus, along with Minerva took the teenagers to Diagon Alley. They stopped at the bank where Harry signed all of the documents that were necessary. While he was at it, he added a few million galleons to the Weasley vault. Harry even added some money to Remus' vault. Neither Remus nor the Weasleys would ever live like paupers again. Harry was determined to make sure of that. The first place they went was the book store. Everyone bought their needed books for the upcoming school year. Harry told the book store owner what books he wanted for each year to buy for the upcoming year. Harry signed the ticket and the owner of the shop promised to send the books to Hogwarts. From there they made their way to the pet store. Hermione and Ginny each received an owl from Harry. Ron said he didn't need one as he still had Pig. Draco still had Aries so he did not need one either. After buying quite a few boxes of owl treats, the group made it to the next stop. Here the boys took over Harry as the girls browsed. Harry received dozens of shirts and slack. Socks and shoes were next. By the time the group left the store, Harry had a completely new wardrobe.

"That will take Dobby and Winky a month to sort through," complained Harry.

"Oh lighten up Potter," aid Severus with a smile. "I haven't had that much fun since I could remember."

"You had fun once before?" asked Ron earning him a slap behind the head.

The rest of the group laughed as Albus led them to a little restaurant. They all sat and ordered. They were in high spirits by the time they got to Madam Malkin's. Here Harry ordered a dozen more robes to use to teach in and he ordered three sets of dress robes.

"Please put the Hogwarts crest on all of them," asked Harry. "I am no longer a student, but it is only fitting that I put my house on the lapel."

"Which house would that be dear," she asked politely.

"All of them of course," said Minerva with a smile on her face.

If Madam Malkin was shocked, she didn't show it. She took the order and watched as Harry signed the bill. She promised that the robes would be done and sent to the castle by no later than the next day. Harry led the group to Ollivander's where he bought them all a wand holster. Mr. Ollivander was delighted by the purchase. Harry smiled at the old wizard and they left to go to the last place on the list. Weasley Wizarding Wheezes. The group entered the shop and they had a field day in it. Fred and George joking asked if they would have enough stock left over for other customers.

"Do you need some more gold to invent more stuff?" asked Harry.

"No Harry," chorused the twins. "Thanks to you we are doing very well. In fact we got a huge order for shield cloaks and hats from the Ministry of Magic. They seemed to need them. We are doing quite well here and it is all thanks to you."

"I have not done much," said Harry.

"Are you joking us?" asked Fred. "You gave us the money to get started."

"On top of that you taught us in the DA last year," said George. "Most employees at the Ministry can't even do a basic shield charm."

"Just take a compliment for once in your life Harry," said Fred. "You would be surprised at how much people respect you for that."

"He is right you know," said Albus.

Harry just blushed and looked down at his feet.

"Can you have all of this stuff delivered to us at Hogwarts?" asked Harry.

"Anything for you Harry," said Fred.

"I like this," said Severus placing a few fake wands on the counter. "I would like to buy these. I also want some canary creams."

Fred and George looked at each other and grinned. By the time Harry and the group left, the Weasley twins had made a small fortune. Albus, Minerva, Severus, and Harry each grabbed a hold of one or more of the remaining group and apparated them to the gates of Hogwarts. Harry and the teenagers thanked the older members of the group profusely for an absolutely wonderful day and headed to their quarters. This was when Harry remembered that Hagrid was holding a phoenix egg for him. He grabbed Draco by the hand and pulled him out the door motioning the rest of the group to follow them. They ran to Hagrid's hut and knocked on the door.

"Down Fang," came Hagrid's voice as he opened the door. "Come on in. I was hopin you wouldn't forget that I have summat her for ye"

"Sorry Hagrid, I have been very busy with exams and everything," said Harry. "I only just remembered. Has it hatched yet?"

"No it is waiten fer ye," said Hagrid.

Harry looked at Draco. Draco gazed back at him. A quick nod of their heads, and both boys reached into the flame together. When they had the egg in their hands, the flames died and the egg started to hatch. Hagrid and the group watched as the chicks inside made short work of the egg. Inside the egg were twin phoenixes. Harry picked up one as Draco picked up the other.

"We should name them Apollo and Artemis," said Harry holding the male phoenix.

"That is pretty," said Hermione who named her owl Athena.

"It does seem like we have a Greek thing going here," said Ginny who named her owl Hera.

Hagrid gave the boys a book on raising baby phoenixes. Harry sat and read the book from cover to cover. He handed it back to Hagrid with the promise that he knew it all by heart and if they needed to, they would buy themselves a copy.

After saying good evening to Hagrid, the group made their way back to their dorm. Harry asked Hedwig if the chicks could roost with her until they could get stands for the babies. She hooted and nipped his finger affectionately. Draco was already at the desk writing to the pet store for two golden perches for the birds. He sent the letter with Aries who flew out of the window with a hoot.

"It looks like our dorm is now an aviary," said Hermione smiling as she went around to each perch and cleaned up the litter made by the birds.

"Thanks Hermione," said Draco. "So what are we going to do with the rest of the summer?"

"Why don't we go visit my other houses," suggested Harry. "I would love to bring back as many of the books an stuff as we can so that our dorm here is well stocked."

"Plus we can get portraits and pictures from the different houses to liven up our rooms," said Luna. "That is if you are ok with that."

"Of course I am," said Harry.

Over the course of August, Harry and the group hit each of the houses. They brought a couple of house elves with them to each house so that they could pack up what they wanted. Dobby and Winky stayed at the castle to receive and organize the shipments. When they finally had everything that they wanted from the different manors, Harry watched as their bare dorm suddenly became full.

"Is it just me or is our dorm stretching to fit all of this," asked Harry.

"The castle is adjusting to your needs," said Albus entering the room.

"Hello Albus," said Harry brightly. "As you can see, we have been very busy making this area our home."

"I am glad that you are doing so," said Albus with a smile all around. "I was wondering if you all are ready for tomorrow. It is the first day of school after all."

"Harry has been tutoring us in all of our subjects," said Neville with a smile on his face.

"Excellent," said Albus. "Harry, are you nervous about starting to teach tomorrow?"

"Not really Albus," said Harry. "I have been practicing with this lot on how to get it done."

"Very good Harry," said Albus. "Then I guess I will leave you all to your activities. Just make sure that you are all ready to begin classes."

Albus smiled once more to the group and left. Harry and the rest picked up where they left off. Dobby and Winky were happier than anyone had ever seen them before. They recruited two other house elves to help with the unpacking of the books and such. However Dobby and Winky had specifically took care of all of the human needs of Harry and Draco and the rest of the group. Draco had even knelt one night and apologized to Dobby for the way he was treated. Dobby accepted the apology with a smile and told Draco to go sit so he could eat his dinner.

The next day came round quickly for the occupants of the castle. All of the professors had returned and were surprised to find that there were already students in the castle. Albus sat them all down for a staff meeting and told them that Harry was going to be a professor at the school. No one seemed surprised by this statement. Rules that applied to normal people usually didn't apply to Harry Potter. Albus also informed them of the role that the rest of the teenagers were to play. The staff all nodded in understanding of this. Last but not least, Albus informed them of the budding romantic relationship between Harry and Draco. Some of the professors just nodded while others clapped their hands in excitement. That evening, Albus had those that had stayed for the summer sit at their table and wait. Harry sat with his friends and watched as the long line of first year students came into the Great Hall. They watched as Minerva placed the sorting hat on each student and watched as they were all sorted.

"Good evening to all," said Albus standing up. "I have a few announcements to make before we begin our delicious feast. To all of our new students, please note that the Forbidden Forest is off limits to all. Mr. Filch the caretaker has asked me to announce that a list of all banned items is posted on his door. This year we will begin with Animagus training for all that wish to learn. However, you must be in sixth and seventh year only I am afraid. Last but not least I would like to welcome a new member to the faculty this year. May I announce your new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Professor Harry Potter."

"You are joking," said Pansy Parkinson with a glare at Harry and another at Draco.

"No I am not joking, Miss Parkinson," said Albus sharply. "Professor Potter has sat all of his NEWTS and has scored high on all of his exams. He may be young, but I warn you. Problems in his classes will result in loss of house points as well as detentions. Professor Potter has every right to give or dock points as any other professor in this school. He also has the right to administer detentions to wrong doers. Anyone caught disrespecting him will be punished most severely."

Pansy sat down with a glare on her face. Albus sighed as if he could read her thoughts. He waved his hands and food appeared on the tables. Hermione and Draco were just as observant as Harry was. There was a lot of mumbling about the new staff appointment. Many icy glares from Slytherin were aimed at Harry. There were just as many happy smiles from the Gryffindor table. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff did not seem to care one way or the other. He would smile at each person that caught his eye and they would smile in return or shift their glare to someone else.

The meal went on and finally deserts were done. Harry and the group at the table all stood. Each one was made a prefect. There were some angry words at Gryffindor having three sixth year prefects. Albus ignored these remarks. Harry and the group helped supervise the students leaving for their different dorms. Harry knew that he would be allowed out to take his late night walks now whenever he wanted. It was during this walk that Harry had his first taste of being a professor. He spotted two third year Gryffindors sneaking through the corridor. Harry walked up to them and tapped them on the back.

"That will be five points from Gryffindor," he said. "You have exactly two minutes to return to your dorm or I will make it twenty five."

The two third year boys ran back as fast as they could. Hermione approached him.

"What is going on Harry?" she asked. "I heard you talking to someone."

"Two third year Gryffindors were out of their dorm," said Harry sadly. "I took five points from them. Was I wrong for that?"

"No Harry," said Hermione. "It is best that from the start that you use your authority. It will let the other three houses know that you mean business. You are a professor now. Their safety is as much your responsibility as it is theirs. I will not fault you for taking points from Gryffindor. I would have done the same thing."

"Thanks Hermione," said Harry. "I am going to bed now. Please don't stay out to late."

"I will walk with you Harry," she said. "I am done with my rounds anyway."

The next day there was a buzz in the air about how Harry Potter formerly of Gryffindor had already docked five points from his own house. Harry sat with a guilty expression on his face. Minerva saw the look and walked over to him.

"Harry," she said. "There is no need to feel guilty. They were breaking the rules and you punished them appropriately. Had it been me that found them I would have docked them more points than that. Severus probably would have given them detention. You have nothing to feel guilty about. You are just doing your job."

"Thanks Minerva," said Harry. "It will take me some time to get used to it."

"You will be jus fine Harry," she said. "We all have faith in you."

With that she left to go the Gryffindor table to hand out class schedules. Harry got up with a sigh and headed towards his class room. He had Slytherin and Hufflepuff for his first class.

AUTHOR'S NOTE – Thank you all for the wonderful reviews. I will be taking my time with this story as I want it to be full and adventurous as well as romantic. Please bear with me as I get the plot going. I know for a fact you will enjoy the next chapter.


	5. Draco to the Rescue

DISCLAIMER – Harry Potter and its affiliates are the sole property of JK Rowling.

DISCLAIMER – This is a gay slash story. If you are offended by gay rights, or homosexual innuendos, then I suggest that you do not read beyond this sentence.

NOTE – For those of you who are following the story so far, I greatly appreciate the wonderful reviews that you are giving me. Tears came to my eyes when I posted the last chapter for Warriors. I hope that this trilogy will be just as enjoyable as the last one was. I will do my best to have the crowd favorites in this story, but I can make no guarantees that they will be prominent in the story. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

**Chapter 5 – Draco to the Rescue**

Harry entered the DADA classroom and sat behind the desk. He waited patiently for the Slytherin and Hufflepuff first years to come into the room. These were new students and Harry did not feel that they would pose much of a problem for him. His biggest concern was fifth year and up. The older the student the more prejudice against him that would appear. He gave a sigh and stood behind his desk. The students filed in and took their seats. Harry noticed that the Slytherins sat on one side and the Hufflepuffs sat on the other.

"I would like for each of you to stand up please," said Harry. "When I call you name, I will assign you a seat. This will be your seat for the rest of the year. The person sitting with you at the table will be your accountability buddy. This means that when there is a practical, you are teamed up with that person. For dual projects, you will also work with your buddy. Does everyone understand?"

There was a murmur of assent throughout the room. Harry took that in stride and started calling roll. When he was done and all of the students were seated, it did not take them long to realize that Harry had paired each Slytherin with a Hufflepuff. There were some angry mutterings about this.

"You have one of two options," said Harry. "You can either accept it, or you may leave my class and not return. If you choose to leave my class, your head of house will not be pleased."

"Professor Snape will not allow you to do this," said a Slytherin boy.

"That will be two points from Slytherin for your cheek," said Harry. "Let's get one thing perfectly clear. Professor Snape has fully backed the decision that appointed me DADA professor. If you think that complaining to him will get you special favor in my classroom, then I suggest you think again. Now if you are finished disrespecting me I suggest you put your books away and take out your wand. Today will be a practical."

The students quickly put their books away. After Harry's talk, not many wanted to upset him further. While they were getting ready, Harry quickly made a note recording the name of the offender for his personal records.

"Today we will be discussing and practicing the disarming charm," said Harry. "Who can tell me the incantation to disarm someone?"

Hands rose in the air.

"Yes, Miss Radcliff," said Harry pointing to a first year Slytherin girl.

"Expelliarmus," she answered.

"Very good," said Harry. "That is two points to Slytherin. Now who can tell me why we use this spell?"

Hands rose in the air eagerly this time. Harry spotted a young man in the back of the room that raised his hand, but he was so small that it was hard to see him over the rest of the class.

"Mr. Green," said Harry. "Why don't you tell us the answer?"

"The purpose of this spell is to try and disarm your opponent," he replied. "If cast properly one may have the chance to escape a possibly dangerous situation."

"Very good," said Harry. "Take two points for Hufflepuff. Everyone stand up and get with your buddy."

Harry quickly waved his wand and moved the furniture to the side. When everyone was with their buddy, Harry had them face off. For thirty minutes Harry had them practice the spell on each other. He walked around and gave pointers to those that needed it and awarded points for outstanding performances to others. When the practical portion of the class was over, Harry had them stand to the side and he moved the furniture back into place.

"Please take out quill and parchment and take some notes," instructed Harry.

For the rest of the class, Harry talked about the disarming spell. He even went as far as to tell them about his own experiences with the spell. When class was over he smiled.

"Homework will be two feet on the disarming charm," he said. "Thank you all for your hard work. Class is dismissed."

Harry sat behind his desk. He had about ten minutes before his next class was due to begin.

"That was a very good class," said Albus materializing out of thin air. "You handled yourself with decorum and poise. You were very correct with what you told our young Slytherin."

"Thank you Sir," said Harry sitting heavily. "I did not know you would be in here. You gave me a fright."

"I am sorry about that," said Albus with a smile. "For the first couple of weeks someone will be here in the class under a Disillusionment Charm. I noticed that you wrote down the infraction and its punishment. I think that is a good idea, but it is not a necessary one. I have no doubt that our young Slytherin will complain to Severus. However you are right in thinking that Severus will not go against your wishes in your class. By the way I like the idea of pairing the different houses together."

"Thanks Albus," said Harry. "I think it is time for the animosity between the houses to stop. Will you be in my next class as well?"

"No Harry," said Albus. "A different professor or one of your dorm mates will be here. I personally wanted to observe your first class to see how you would do. I must say t hat I am very impressed."

Harry turned a deep red as he blushed at the praise and Albus chuckled.

"Miss Granger will be sitting in on your next class," said Albus. "For now enjoy yourself and come talk to me at the end of the day. You are doing brilliantly."

Harry was thanking Albus as Hermione made her way into the room. Albus watched as Harry performed the Disillusionment Charm on Hermione. With his eyes twinkling, he bowed his head to both and left the room. From there, Harry's next class was filing in. He had second year Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Harry started the class the same way that he did with the last. He paired each Ravenclaw with a Hufflepuff. There was a lot less mumbling about the seating arrangement. When everyone was seated, Harry launched into his lesson about stunners.

Meanwhile, Albus made his way to the dungeons where Severus was waiting on his next class. When he walked into the room, Severus looked up at him in anticipation.

"Well," he asked Albus. "How did he do?"

"He had a small bit of trouble at the beginning of class," said Albus. "However he handled himself very well. I would expect some of your house to complain about what he has done in his class."

"Why?" asked Severus. "What has he done that they would come to me for?"

"Harry has had the ingenious idea of pairing the houses together," said Albus.

"In what way?" asked Severus slightly confused.

"In his first class he had Slytherin and Hufflepuff," said Albus. "He paired one from each house together. He called the pair accountability buddies. They are to work together for the rest of the year on projects and practical assignments."

"Very clever of him," said Severus. "Do not worry. I will deal with my house when they come to complain."

"That is all I ask," said Albus standing to make room for the next class. "Thank you for your time."

Severus sat there for a few moments in wonder. He would personally be in the class of sixth year Slytherins. Minerva stated that she would watch out for Harry during his class teaching seventh year. Severus thought about Harry's idea. The more he thought about it the more he liked it. He decided to implement the same idea into his own classes. Quickly he moved his students around so that there was a pair from each house working side by side.

Harry's classes for the rest of the day went smoothly. He docked points when he needed to and awarded points equally and fairly. By the end of the day, Harry was extremely pleased with himself. He picked up his notes on the infractions, and made his way to the Head Masters office. When Harry approached, he gave the password and received his first shock.

"You do not need to give us a password any longer," said the gargoyle. "As owner of the school, we will move for you."

Harry nodded to the sentinel and made his way up the stairs. When he got to the door, he found it open and Albus waiting for him behind his desk. With a smile, Albus waved him in and gestured to a chair in front of his desk.

"I take it your classes went smoothly?" asked Albus.

"Very," said Harry. "There was still one or two that decided that they did not like the way I run my classes, but they found out quickly enough that I won't tolerate them causing issues."

Harry handed the list of infractions over to Albus. Albus in turn scanned the list and nodded his head.

"You are being more than fair in your reprimands," said Albus. "Teachers like Severus or Minerva would have taken more points than you have."

"Can I ask you a question," said Harry suddenly.

"Of course you can Harry," said Albus a little shocked at first. "What is on your mind?"

"The gargoyle at the foot of the stairs told me that I no longer needed to give a password to gain access into your office," said Harry quickly. "I would like to know why. I am just a professor here."

"Did they not tell you anything?" asked Albus.

"They just told me that as owner of the castle that I did not need to give the password," he replied.

"Harry you will find that you do not need a password to get anywhere in the castle," said Albus. "I was talking with the Fat Lady and she said the same thing. As the rightful owner of the castle you do not need a password."

"There goes being normal," said Harry with a sigh. "Things like this always seem to happen to me. I wish fate would pick on someone else for a little while and give me a breather."

Albus started laughing. He could not help himself. Harry sat there and watched in amazement as the old wizard held his sides as he was laughing so hard. When he finally finished and wiped his eyes on the sleeve of his robe, Albus looked back at Harry.

"My dear Sir," he said. "You were never a normal person. You are destined to do great things. I for one am glad that you are the fine young man that you are. I dare anyone to say that they have watched you as closely as I have. You are a delight to watch. The way you handle each and every obstacle that is put in front of you is admirable even if it is a bit unorthodox. I am more proud of you than you realize. You are even making a place for yourself here. You are fair and just. Severus liked your idea so much that he implemented it into his own classes. I am sure that many other teachers will do the same. You bring to the table a fresh outlook on things. Most of the members of this faculty have been here for years. The ideas and ideals you bring forth are worth the time and effort just to see the outcome."

Harry could not help but to crack a smile at that. He was proud of himself for his many accomplishments. He wondered if some of his other ideas would go over just as well.

"On that note," said Albus pulling Harry out of his thoughts. "It is my wish that you and the rest of your dorm start studying with me on a highly important subject. Every Sunday I will come to the dorm and work with you all on this project."

"What would that be?" asked Harry.

"I will inform you at the same time that I tell the others," said Albus. "For now, put it out of your mind. Why don't you go and enjoy your time with your friends. I happen to know that Mr. Malfoy in particular is eager to lay eyes on you. I have witnessed him pacing back and forth between his classes in your dorm waiting to know if you are ok. It would be a good idea to relieve him of his worry."

Harry turned red once more as he stood up. Albus handed him the record of misdemeanors and their punishments back and Harry quickly left the room. When Harry got to his dorm, the door opened for him and he entered. Hermione was sitting at her desk doing some homework. Draco was pacing back and forth in front of Harry's desk. When he laid eyes on Harry, he quickly crossed the room and enveloped Harry in his arms. He looked at Harry in the face until he knew that nothing was wrong and then planted a deep passionate kiss on his lips. The kiss lasted for a couple of moments. Hermione even put her finger to her lips when Ginny entered the room and the two girls sat their and watched with their faces glowing in pleasure. When Harry and Draco finally parted, the girls burst into applause. When they were done, both men were red in the face and behind the ears.

"I think it is wonderful," said Hermione. "I am so happy for both of you."

"So am I," chimed in Ginny. "It is good to finally see you so happy Harry. I like the new Draco also. This Draco is more polite and doesn't call me names."

"Nor will I ever again," promised Draco. "You and Hermione are some talented and wonderful young ladies."

Now it was the girl's turn to blush. Harry and Draco laughed. A few moments later, Ron, Neville, and Luna came in the room.

"Albus has asked that we keep our Sunday evenings open," said Harry to the group. "He has some special classes that he will be teaching us. He did not tell me what they are going to be about. He just said that we will all be in the class together."

From there, the group made their way down to the Great Hall discussing what Albus would possibly be teaching them. They sat at their table and waited as the rest of the student body and faculty made their way to the staff table. When everyone was present the food appeared. Harry started eating his food while chatting with the group. He told them about not needing a password to get into the different parts of the castle anymore. The rest of the group all marveled at this.

"Do you think we should tell the other professors about the marauder's map?" asked Harry. "It might help."

"Are you mental?" asked Ron. "Dumbledore might take it from you."

"Now why would I do that," asked Albus coming up behind them. "I am curious about this map. Harry, bring it to the staff meeting that we are having after dinner. Why don't the rest of you join Harry for the meeting?"

"Thank you Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione for the stunned group. "I am honored that you have asked."

"Think nothing of it Miss Granger," said Albus chuckling. "I will see you all around seven then."

Albus made his way back to the staff table. Harry gave a sigh of relief.

"What is the marauders map?" asked Draco when dinner was over.

"It is a map of Hogwarts that my dad, Sirius, Remus, and Pettigrew made when they were students here," explained Harry as they walked back to their dorm to get the map. "It tells you where everyone is in the castle."

"Cool," said Neville. "That must be how you were able to get around the castle all the time without getting caught."

"You got it," said Harry entering their dorm.

He quickly went to his room and got the map. From there, he and Draco held hands as they walked up to the Head Master's office. The gargoyle moved aside and let the teenagers enter. The group made their way to the office and when they appeared at the top of the stairs, Albus bade them enter and offered them chairs to sit in. There was a large round table in the middle of the seats. Harry and his group dominated one side and the rest of the faculty filed in and took their places.

"The first thing I would like to discuss is your map Harry," said Albus with a curious look on his face. "Would you be so kind as to show it to us and explain where it came from and how you obtained it?"

Harry quickly unfolded the map and laid it out on the table.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," said Harry touching his wand to the parchment.

The rest of the faculty gasped as the complete map of Hogwarts appeared on the table.

"Where did you get this?" asked Minerva.

"I will start from the beginning," said Harry. "My dad, Sirius, Remus, and Pettigrew created it. They used it during their years here in the school. Mr. Filch ended up with it somehow, but didn't know what it was. The Weasley twins nicked it in their first year. In my third year, they gave it to me."

"So this is the secret of your mischief," said Severus with a smirk. "I knew this was not a Zonko product. I just could never prove it."

"So this tells us where everyone is at all times?" asked Albus studying the map closely.

"Yes," said Harry. "You pace a lot in the evenings."

Albus chuckled at this. He pulled out his wand and mumbled a few incantations.

"Simple spells, but effective," he said. "Do you mind if I make copies of this Harry?"

"Not at all," said Harry. "I think it will help the teachers to know who is where and who is not supposed to be on the grounds."

Albus twirled his wand a few times and a copy for each of the staff members appeared on the table.

"How do you shut if off?" asked Minerva with her own copy in her hand.

"To activate it you just tap it with your wand and say I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," said Harry. "When you are finished you just tap it with your wand and say mischief managed."

"Very ingenious," said Albus.

The meeting that night covered basic things around the castle. It lasted for a little over two hours. In that time, the teachers were watching the map while talking. Every now and then they would notice a student doing something somewhere. They watched as the prefects made their rounds. Finally when all business was concluded, Albus dismissed the group. Harry and his group all headed down the stairs. They met Seamus in the hall.

"Harry," said Seamus. "I mean Professor. Please come quick. Something is wrong with Dean. He passed out and I can't get him to wake up."

"Hermione," said Harry. "Go get Professor Dumbledore. Ron, go and get Professor McGonagall. Luna, go and get Madam Pomfrey please. The rest of you come with me."

The group headed off in different directions to get the required Professor. Harry made it to the Gryffindor Tower and the Fat Lady hurried to open for him. They raced behind Seamus to the dorm where Dean lay twitching on the floor. Dean was foaming at the mouth and convulsing. Harry sat by his head and grabbed it, while Draco and Neville grabbed his legs and feet. Ginny was leaning on his torso to keep it on the floor.

"It looks like he has been poisoned," said Harry. "We need a bezoar."

"I have one," said Draco removing a small jar out of his pocket. "Here, place it in his mouth."

By this time Minerva, Albus, Severus, and Poppy along with the rest of Harry's group appeared. Severus helped Harry open Dean's mouth and Harry put the bezoar in. Within moments, Dean stopped twitching.

Poppy and Minerva quickly got him on a stretcher and from there they carried him down to the hospital wing.

"That was quick thinking Harry," said Albus placing a hand on Harry shaking arm. "How did you know to put a bezoar in his mouth?"

"Severus taught us about them in our first year," said Harry still shaking. "It was a good thing Draco had one in his pocket."

"You two probably just saved his life," said Severus.

"I think that I will award Gryffindor House ten points for Mr. Longbottom and Mr. and Miss Weasley," said Albus. "I will also award Mr. Malfoy twenty points for having a bezoar and assisting Professor Potter in this. I also think that an award for services to the school is in order for the quick actions of the professor and the students that helped."

Ginny and the four young men blushed deeply at the compliment.

When the rest of the students were all ok, Harry and his group made it to their dorm. Harry and Draco entered Harry's suite of rooms where they spent some quality alone time. Neither young man could stop touching or kissing the other. Their lips never ceased in kissing the nose, throat, or lips of the other. Draco finally left and went to his own room. His and Harry's room were across the common area from one another. It was the normal thing for them to leave their doors open so that they could watch each other from across the way. On this particular night, Harry had is first bad night in a long time. He went to sleep just as he did each night. He stared across the way at Draco until his eyes would not stay open any more. Almost immediately he started having visions that caused him to panic. This was not a normal dream. Try as he would, he could not awaken. He tossed and turned. He started making whimpering noises. Gradually the noises started getting louder. At first no one heard him. Then when his noses were just short of screams, Hermione and Ginny got up to check on him. When they saw Harry thrashing around in his bed, they both went into action. Ginny woke Ron, Neville, and Luna and they rushed out of the dorm to get someone to help. Hermione ran into Draco's room and woke him. Draco came to with a start when he realized Hermione was standing there. When he heard Harry in the other room, they both raced across the common area and into Harry's room. Both climbed into the bed and sat with him. Neither could get him to wake up.

Severus, Albus, Minerva, and Poppy were all awakened by a frantic member of Team Potter as they were being called. When they were told what was going on, all grabbed certain things from their rooms and raced after the individual that had awakened them. When they got into the dorm they could hear Harry screaming from his room. They raced in and immediately went into action. Severus and Poppy tried a couple of potions while Albus tried a few incantations. Minerva sat with Hermione and was helping to hold Harry. Draco was crying next to Harry. He was terrified for the man that he loved. When Harry arched his back and rolled over, Draco went in behind him and wrapped his arms around Harry's chest. Harry still bucked, but it was not as bad. Hermione pulled out her own wand.

"Aguamenti," she said pointing her wand at Harry.

A blast of water hit Harry and Draco. The effect was instantaneous. Harry woke up with one final scream. He glanced around at the dripping wet people that were important in his life. He let out a gasp. HE rolled to the edge of the bed where he was immediately sick. From there he started crying. Minerva and Albus started waving their wands to dry everyone up. Severus cleaned up the mess with a wave of his wand. Draco just held on to Harry. It was shredding his heart to see Harry in this state. Severus pulled a potion out of his bag and helped Harry drink it. When Harry calmed down, he looked around to everyone.

"I am so sorry," said Harry.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," said Severus. "What happened in your dream that started all of this?"

"It is important for you to tell us Harry," said Albus kindly sitting down on the edge of the bed. "If we can avoid them in the future it would be wise."

"V- V- Voldemort had Draco," said Harry as most of the others winced. "He was using the Cruciatus Curse on him. He had me in a full body bind and was showing me what he was doing. From there the dream changed. Albus he sent the poison that got to Dean. We better check on Seamus. It was in a parcel that he intercepted and poisoned the sweets. He meant it to catch the whole dorm. He doesn't know that the rest of us are not in that room anymore or Ron, Neville, and I would end up like Dean."

Minerva and Poppy dashed out of the room and raced to the Gryffindor Tower. Just as Harry said, Seamus was in the same state that Dean was in previously. The two women got him stabilized and brought him to the hospital wing.

Albus got up and went to Harry's desk. He sat down and put his head in his hands. Minerva came back a few minutes later with a tin of cookies. Harry, Severus, Draco, and Hermione went to the miniature lab and from there proceeded to test the cookies for poison. Fifteen minutes later, they had their answer. The poison was in the cookies.

"I think that it is time to have the students not get sweets from home for awhile," said Severus.

"I agree with you," said Albus sadly. "I will draw up the letters for the notice boards. I think you all had better return to your beds."

"I will stay with Harry tonight," said Draco nervously.

"I think that is a good idea," said Albus. "If he has any more problems, do not hesitate to come and get us."

Everyone in the room nodded as they watched Draco get Harry comfortable and then climb into the bed beside him. Harry rolled on his side, and Draco wrapped his arms around him protectively. Within moments both young men were asleep.

"I think I will stay here for awhile," said Severus. "Just in case he needs one of us."

"Send me a patronus when you get tired," said Minerva. "I can come and take over for you."

Severus nodded and sat in the couch in the common room that had a good view of Harry's bed chambers. The rest of the group dispersed and went to their rooms.

"It looks like Voldemort is on the move again," said Albus. "It is time to reassemble the Order of the Phoenix."

Severus nodded his head and turned to watch the two sleeping young men. Albus sighed as he left the room.

AUTHOR'S NOTE – I will end this chapter here. I wanted to get a little more into the relationship between Harry and Draco while at the same time letting you all know where the Dark Forces are. I hope that I have a good plot for you all starting. Please let me know what you think.


	6. Love is in the Air

DISCLAIMER – Harry Potter and its affiliates are the sole property of JK Rowling.

DISCLAIMER – This is a gay slash story. If you are uncomfortable with gay rights or homosexual erotica, then I humbly ask that you don't embarrass yourself or me by reading beyond this point.

DISCLAIMER – "It's Your Love" is the property of Tim McGraw and Faith Hill and the record company that produced it.

NOTE – thank you to all of my fans. For Love of a Slytherin has almost reached 1000 visitors in the first 9 days. Thank you all so much for following along with me on this new story.

**Chapter 6 – Love is in the Air**

The following day saw Team Potter with a few bags under their eyes. The night before was frightening for all in the Potter Dorm. When Harry and Draco woke the next morning, they smiled at each other. Harry gently caressed Draco's cheek.

"I guess it is time to get up," said Harry. ""I still have classes to teach today. I have fifth years today not to mention I have some homework papers that I need to grade this evening."

"Yes I think that we have to get up," said Draco. "Before we do though, I have a question for you."

"I am all ears lover," said Harry. "What can I do for you?"

"First off thanks for calling me lover," said Draco. "Second, how do you feel about me moving in here with you permanently?"

"I was hoping you would ask that," said Harry. "As only the faculty and the seven of us that live in this dorm can access the area, I don't see a problem with that. Not that I care who knows we are a couple, but technically you are still a student and technically I am still your professor."

"That is a very wise statement Harry," said Albus smiling as he knocked on the doorframe. "I see no problems with the faculty or Team Potter on this issue. However decorum is still necessary for the student body. We must keep a level of discretion."

"I happen to agree with both of you," said Draco. "Is this ok with you Harry and Professor Dumbledore? Harry seemed to have an easier night with me in the bed with him."

"I have absolutely no problem with this arrangement in the slightest," said Albus smiling as he sat on the edge of the bed. "I think we will need Draco's room soon enough anyway. I want to talk with the seven of you about a sensitive issue. Why don't you two get dressed and meet me in the common room?"

"Sure Albus," said Harry. "Draco we can get Dobby and Winky to move your things over to this room."

"I love you Harry," said Draco. "I have loved you for a long time. I just did not know how to tell you."

"I love you to Dragon," said Harry giving him a quick kiss on the lips. "Thank you for comforting me last night."

"I won't lie and say that it did not frighten me," said Draco standing and making his way to the bathroom. "I was terrified, but what I said was true. You did calm down in your sleep after I got into bed with you."

"Well you are free to save me from those awful dreams anytime you like," said Harry going over to Draco's room and getting him some robes for the day. "I hate those types of dreams. They are so hurtful and horrible."

"It sounds like it," said Draco taking the robes from Harry and quickly getting dressed. "I laid out your green robes for you."

"Thanks lover," said Harry with a smile heading for the bathroom to freshen up.

Ten minutes later, Harry and Draco were sitting at their desks when Severus, Minerva, Pomona, and Filius walked in. Following the teachers were a handful of students.

"Ah good," said Albus. "You are all here. We would like to add these students to Team Potter. All of these students are trust worthy. We have discussed certain issues with each and every student present and they not only accept the terms, but are very much ok with the conditions. I am sure each of you already knows Blaise Zabini of Slytherin House, Hannah Abbot and Susan Bones of Hufflepuff House, Padma Patil of Ravenclaw, and her twin Parvati Patil of Gryffindor. When Mr. Finnegan and Mr. Thomas get out of the hospital they also will be joining the group."

"Blaise can have my old room," said Draco shaking the hand of his friend.

Dobby already knew what was going on and he and Winky could be seen moving Draco's things into Harry's suite of rooms.

"Harry I think you should get the castle to add three more rooms to this dorm," said Albus with a smile. "Minerva and I will conjure up the desks."

Harry stood for a few moments with his hands on the wall. He let himself become one with the castle. He was delighted when the walls responded to his touch. Harry asked the castle to extend the dorm and create seven more rooms. Within a flash, the common room expanded and seven new doorways appeared. Harry turned and smiled.

"Why don't we give them each their own room," said Harry with a smile. "Plus we have an extra room in case we come across another student that becomes eligible to be in this dorm. I think I speak for all of Team Potter when I say welcome aboard."

The rest of the group all gave their assent. Harry and Hermione went around shaking each hand of the new team members. Soon after the rest of the group got over their shock and followed. Chatter broke out as the girls started gossiping about anyone and everyone. Harry and the rest of the guys just shook their heads and laughed.

"For those of you that are just joining us," said Harry pointing to a solitary door. "In that room is pictures and decorations from the four homes of the founders. Please feel free to decorate your rooms with whatever you like. All I ask is that you do not discuss what you find in there with anyone. I also ask that you not remove anything from the dorm. These items are very old and very valuable."

The Head Master and the rest of the Heads of House followed the new team mates into the room and looked around with interest at some of the things that were in the room. Paintings, lamps, furniture, and many other things were stored neatly in the room. The students picked out what they wanted, and a house elf would bring it into their rooms. The staff asked if they could use some of the things that caught their interest as well. Harry laughed and told them they could have what ever they wanted. The Heads of House reminded the new students that they still needed to go and pack up their belongings from their old dorms. Still chattering they left. Some of the other students went with them to help. Finally Harry sat at his desk and looked at his mentors and friends.

"Thank you for helping me last night," he said while Ginny and Luna each perched themselves on a corner of his desk. "I apologize again for disturbing everyone. I do not know what I will do if the first part of that dream comes true. Draco means everything to me."

"Harry," said Minerva kindly. "We understand. There is no need to apologize for something that is beyond your control."

"We can not help what we dream," said Pomona.

"I tested your shields after we finally got you awake," said Severus. "You are definantly employing Occlumency even when you sleep. Our problem is the link that your scar gives between you and the Dark Lord. It goes beyond the ordinary magic."

"Severus is correct," said Albus. "At this time we have no way of stopping it. When you are awake, you can keep him from actually entering your mind. However, last night you entered his and that is what saved your friends from a very painful death."

"Face it Harry," said Ginny. "No one blames you for last night. Thanks to Hermione's quick thinking, we got you back and everything ended up well."

"Yes I think I will award Miss Granger ten points for her quick thinking," said Severus. "She was able to accomplish something we professors could not."

"I will leave her a note to let her know," said Harry chuckling. "Does this mean that you have made the rest of the new team members prefects as well?"

"More than that Harry," said Albus. "They are equivalent to Head Boys and Girls with the ability to dock points for wrong doings. Each was spoken with at length about this and they understand that abusing the privilege gets it taken away with severe consequences."

"Well I am glad that you brought more people from the other houses," said Harry. "Now no one can say that we are favoring Gryffindor. I wish there were a few more trustworthy Slytherins though. No offense Severus."

"None taken," assured Severus. "We aren't snakes for nothing."

"Well I think it is time for breakfast," said Albus as the rest of the team members started coming in. "I suggest that you all leave your things in your rooms. The house elves will assuredly put them away for you."

With that, Albus, the faculty, and the students made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast. Harry noticed that his table had grown and he led his group to it. Harry also noticed that he sat in the exact same position that Albus did with Draco on his left and Hermione on his right. He put the thought to the side of his mind for now. He would come back to it later when he had free time to think on it. Draco sat in the same spot as Severus and Hermione at in the same spot as Minerva. It was almost like there was a younger version of the staff forming below the actual faculty of the school. Harry glanced around at the members of his table. There were people that were proficient in each and every subject. Harry pulled himself out of his thoughts. He had Gryffindor and Ravenclaw fifth years first. This was followed by Slytherin and Hufflepuff. From there he had his first and second years. Harry was not worried about his first class. Ginny and Luna were in that class and they would help to keep the rest of the class in line. Harry knew that Albus or one of the other staff members would be watching his Slytherin and Hufflepuff classes.

When breakfast was over, Harry made his way to his classroom. Being on the third floor, Harry had to hurry so that he would not be late. When he entered the room, the class was already assembled and waiting for him.

"I am sorry that I am late," said Harry. "You guys are quick. So today we are going to start talking about Patronuses. Who can tell me what a patronus is used for?"

A few hands rose in the air. Harry winked at Ginny and Luna. He knew they knew all about this class. They did not raise their hands. Harry scanned the room and found a fifth year Ravenclaw with her hand in the air.

"Yes, Miss Donner?" he inquired politely.

"A patronus is used to repel Dementors," she said.

"Very good," said Harry. "Take two points for Ravenclaw. Now who can tell me what a patronus looks like? Yes Mr. Creevey."

"It is different for everyone," replied Collin.

"Correct," aid Harry. "Two points for Gryffindor."

Harry spent the next half an hour going over the incantation and wand movements with the class. When he was done with that, he had each person stand up and give it a try. Ginny and Luna produced a patronus on the first try earning Gryffindor and Ravenclaw five points each. Others who were able to produce a silver vapor were awarded two points each. When the class was just about over Harry had everyone sit down.

"Expecto Patronum," he said and watched as his patronus walked the length of the room and back nodding its head to each student. "Homework will be three feet on patronuses to be turned in by next class. Well done everyone, class is dismissed."

Harry sat with a smile on his face as he watched the class leave. Harry's smile dropped a little when his next class started filling in. As he had done with every other class, he paired each house with someone from the opposite house. He began class just like he did with the first. The Hufflepuff students listened eagerly to what Harry was saying. A few of the Slytherins were also paying attention. There were a few that were not paying attention. They were also not taking notes. In fact one student was even reading a comic book while in class.

"Mr. Harper," said Harry suddenly stopping in mid sentence. "Is my class boring you or something?"

Harper didn't say anything. He glared at Harry and lifted his comic book higher so that his face was not seen by Harry.

"Expelliarmus," said Harry and lifted his hand to catch the comic. "That will be ten points from Slytherin for reading this in my class. It will be another ten for showing disrespect to me when I was talking to you. I am going to give you a detention on top of that as well. I am getting pretty tired of having people like you come into my class and decide that they will interrupt the learning of the other students. Take this note to Professor Snape. Make no mistake, I will know if you have or not. You are dismissed from today's lesson."

Harry watched as Harper grabbed his book bag, glared at Harry as he took the parchment Harry quickly wrote and sealed, and stalked out the door. Harry turned to the rest of the assembled class.

"I suggest that you all start paying attention if you want to pass DADA this year," said Harry. "Let me remind you that this is your OWL year and if you do not pay attention to what I am telling you, I will have no choice but to give you a failing grade. That means that you will not pass your OWL or the fifth grade. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?"

A rustle could be heard as those Slytherins that were not paying that close attention started pulling out quill and ink to take notes. Harry calmed himself and continued where he left off. Just like with the previous class, Harry had them all try a patronus at the end of the class. A few were able to produce the silver vapor, but no one was able to produce a full patronus. Harry walked around the room and gave points to those that earned it and instruction for those that needed it. When class ended, he assigned homework and dismissed the class.

Minerva came out of the corner and canceled her Disillusionment Charm.

"Very good Harry," she said. "You have given out your first detention. What will you make that person do?"

"I have no idea," said Harry putting his head in his hands. "Can I send him to you for punishment?"

"Yes you can," she said. "That was an excellent example of leadership. You stated your case, you doled out the punishment, and you made the rest of the class realize that you are not playing a game here. That was very well done, indeed. Have Mr. Harper meet me in the Transfiguration classroom at eight this evening for his detention."

Harry nodded and quickly wrote the instructions on a piece of parchment. He handed the note to Hedwig who flew out of the door. Harry sighed and made his way to his room. He had the next hour off. He sat and started grading some of the homework from the lower grades. He was still pondering the explanation of one student on the stunning charm when Severus walked in.

"Minerva told me what happened," said Severus. "I have added my own detention to the one you gave. From what Minerva said, you handled yourself extremely professionally and fairly."

"Severus will you do me a big favor?" Harry asked suddenly. "I know it will be hard for you, but this is something I really wish to learn."

"Of course," said Severus. "What is it you wish to learn?"

"If it is not too much trouble, can you tell me your side of the story about the happenings between you and my dad?" he asked. "I know Sirius and Remus' version, but I want to know from you what happened and what you remember about my mom."

Severus raised his eyebrows in surprise for a moment. He weighed the look of utter interest on the younger man's face. He looked into the green eyes that were so much like Lily's, that he knew in a moment that Harry was not being cruel. He genuinely wanted to know. He sat in the chair across from Harry and from there launched into the entire story. Dobby brought the two men lunch at Harry's desk as they conversed clean through lunch. Harry would ask questions, and Severus would answer. With each question and comment, the barrier between the two men fell lower and lower. Harry was sympathizing with Severus, and Severus was realizing that Harry was not James in any way except looks. When they were done with that conversation, Harry got up and went to the book case and grabbed a book. He had bookmarked a page.

"I was reading this the other night," said Harry. "I thought you might be interested in this."

Severus took the book from him and began to read. The more he read the more excited he became.

"Where did you get this book?" he asked.

"From the Slytherin Manor," said Harry. "Do you think it can help?"

"I will talk with Albus about this," said Severus. "I did not know there was a spell to remove the Dark Mark. If Albus agrees, I think you should have the honor of removing my Dark Mark. You found this spell after all. Plus you might be one of the few that can actually cast the spell. It looks like you have to be an heir of Slytherin to do so."

"If Albus agrees, I would be honored to remove your Dark Mark," said Harry smiling at his new friend. "Though, he will probably want you to stay on as a spy for awhile longer."

Both men laughed at the comment. From there, they knew that the past would stay in the past and that they would be able to count on each other in the future. From there they both stood as each had classes to teach.

Harry was handing back the homework that afternoon when he had a sudden inspiration hit him. He pardoned himself for a moment and sat at his desk. He pulled out a sheet of parchment and wrote a quick note to Dobby. He wrote the elf's name on the outside and sent one of his students to find the elf. From there he wrote a letter to Draco.

_Dear Love,_

_How about, you and I eat a late dinner on the bank of the lake this evening? I have Dobby preparing a nice dinner for the two of us. We never really had a proper date. I think it is time that we did. Please let me know soon._

_Love _

_Harry_

Harry rolled up the parchment and told Hedwig who the letter was for. She nipped his finger gently and took the parchment and flew out of the room to the delight of the class. Within a few minutes, she was back. Harry excused himself from the class again and opened his letter.

_Dear Lover,_

_I like the sound of that. I can not wait for our date to start. I will meet you by the lake at seven this evening._

_Love always _

_Draco_

Harry smiled to himself and then continued with his class. He had one more after this one and he was done for the day. He would get Hermione to help him set everything up.

Finally after his last class had left, Harry hurried to his dorm. He quickly outlined his idea to Ginny, Hermione, and Luna who championed the idea immediately. Ginny and Hermione rushed to Harry and Draco's room and quickly chose an outfit for each man. From there, they gathered Luna up and raced to the kitchen. They told Dobby what they wanted prepared for the dinner. Harry meanwhile wrote a letter to his Aunt.

_Dear Aunt Petunia,_

_Tonight I have my first official date with Draco. I need a good song to serenade him with. Can you help me please?_

_Fondly,_

_Harry_

He handed the letter to Apollo who disappeared in a flash of fire. A few minutes later, he reappeared with a note and a CD.

_Harry,_

_That was a beautiful bird. Enclosed is a song that will fit what you are wanting. Good Luck with your date. Please let me know how it goes._

_Aunt Petunia_

Harry quickly raced to the Head Master's office where he found Albus in conversation with the portraits of the former Heads. When he saw Harry, he smiled and bade him to enter.

"What can I help you with Harry," said Albus noticing the excitement in the younger man's face.

"I need to know if there is some way that this CD can be played with magic," said Harry catching his breath.

He quickly outlined his plan to Albus who smiled. Ten minutes later, Harry learned the spell that would play the song. He listened to it a few times and had it memorized. He raced back to his rooms to change. He showered and walked over to the bed to see what Hermione had left him to wear. He picked up the leather pants and put them on. From there he put on the green silk shirt. He put a belt on and picked up the boots that Severus insisted he get. When he was finished, he brushed his teeth and put on a splash of cologne. Draco was in the library. Harry had enlarged the marauders map and it hung on the wall in the common room. Hermione was coming down the corridor to the dorm. She entered and took one look at Harry and started to giggle.

"Harry," she said. "You look wonderful. Draco will not be able to contain himself looking at you. We recruited the rest of the dorm. The Patil's are down by the lake with Blaise and Ron getting the rest of it set up. Try not to be nervous. If you do, you will start to sweat and then you will ruin your shirt. I think you should go to the lake now. I will send Draco to you when he is done. Oh this is so exciting."

Harry laughed as he spotted Draco leaving the library. He left quickly and headed to the lake. Ron and Blaise smiled when they saw him. They had set out a blanket and some stay lit candles. The girls were setting out plates and glasses. Severus walked up behind them with a smile on his face. He handed Harry a chilled bottle of wine. Without another word, he walked away. Harry grinned as he set the bottle down. He sat on the blanket and pulled out a CD Hermione had handed him. There was soft music playing on the disc. Ron, Blaise, Parvati, and Padma all wished him luck and left. Harry looked out over the lake as the moon shone down casting enough romantic light, that it felt like it was shining just for Harry. He heard a soft sound behind him and watched as Draco walked over being led by Ginny. She had blindfolded his eyes and walked him to the rendezvous point. Hermione had dressed him almost identical to Harry. Draco was wearing black leather pants and a black silk shirt. Harry quickly stood. Ginny smiled at him and took the blindfold off of Draco's eyes. When Draco saw the layout before him, he gasped. When he finally set eyes upon Harry he smiled and walked over to him. He tenderly placed a kiss on Harry's lips.

"Shall we dance?" asked Harry.

"There is no music," remarked Draco with a smile.

"That is easily fixed," said Harry waving his wand.

The disc rose in the air and started spinning. As the lyrics started playing, Harry wrapped his arms around Draco and as they started slow dancing Harry began to sing.

_Dancing in the dark, middle of the night  
Taking your heart and holding it tight  
Emotional touch, touching my skin  
And asking you to do what you've been doing all over again_

Oh, it's a beautiful thing  
Don't think I can keep it all in  
I just gotta let you know  
What it is that won't let me go

It's your love, it just does something to me  
It sends a shock right through me  
I can't get enough and if you wonder  
About the spell I'm under, oh, it's your love

Better than I was, more than I am  
And all of this happened by taking your hand  
And who I am now is who I wanted to be  
And now that we're together I'm stronger than ever, I'm happy and free

Oh, it's a beautiful thing  
Don't think I can keep it all in, no  
And if you asked me why I changed  
All I gotta do is say your sweet name

It's your love, it just does something to me  
It sends a shock right through me  
I can't get enough and if you wonder  
About the spell I'm under, oh, it's your love, oh, baby

Oh, it's a beautiful thing  
Don't think I can keep it all in  
I just gotta let you know  
What it is that won't let me go

It's your love, it just does something to me  
It sends a shock right through me  
I can't get enough and if you wonder  
About the spell I'm under, oh, it's your love  
It's your love, it's your love

When the song was finished, Harry released Draco and quickly set the other disc to playing. As they sat on the blanket, Harry poured them some wine and the plates filled with food. They ate while watching each other. Occasionally one or the other would feed a bite to each other. When they had eaten all they desired to, the food and plates disappeared. The wine with the glasses stayed and Draco and Harry lifted their glasses.

"To love," said Draco.

Harry echoed the sentiment. Once they finished drinking, Harry grabbed Draco and kissed him with as much passion as he could. Draco responded in kind. Soon both young men were panting heavily. Finally they could ignore their passion no longer. Each gave in to their own desires. Right there under the moon light, they made love for the first time.

Hours later, Harry and Draco made their way back to the castle. They passed some of their dorm mates making their rounds. Neither paid much attention to who it was. They were so engrossed in each other. Hermione and Hannah giggled at the state of their clothes.

"Seems that their night was a success," remarked Hannah. "I do hope that I find love like theirs one day."

"I am sure you will," said Hermione knowingly. "I can't wait to tell everyone else the good news. You go tell the rest of the dorm. I will go make my report to Albus and Severus. I know for a fact that those two gossip like old women and they want to know how it went."

Both young women parted and went about their quest. Hermione made it to Albus' office. The door was open and Albus, Minerva, Severus, and Poppy were all sitting there.

"Well Miss Granger?" asked Severus. "How did it go in your opinion?"

"When they entered the castle they were so into each other that they did not even see Hannah and me," she replied. "Their clothes we disheveled and buttoned wrong. Harry was even carrying their shoes in his hand. In my opinion, I would say that tonight was a success for both."

"Excellent," said Albus. "It is so good to see Harry so happy. It thrills me to know that Mr. Malfoy is the reason that he is so excited to greet each and every new day. Both young men are doing far better than I hoped for."

"I am happy that Draco and Harry found each other as well," said Severus. "I have never seen my godson so happy. They both deserve to be happy after what has happened to both."

"That is the first time that I have ever heard you call Harry by his given name," remarked Minerva. "Is there something that you are not telling us Severus?"

"If you must know," replied Severus. "The reason that Harry and I missed lunch was due to the fact that Harry asked me to tell my side of the story about growing up in this school. He absorbed every word I said about the differences that his father and I had. He did not get angry once throughout the whole conversation. He could not get enough of my memories of Lily as a student. All in all, we had a wonderful conversation. He is bright, intelligent, and as compassionate as Lily was. He may be headstrong like James, but that is not a bad thing. He and I agreed to let the past stay in the past and we agreed to work as a team for the future. That reminds me."

Severus pulled the book he borrowed from Harry out and placed it on the desk. He opened it to the right page and showed the others what Harry had found. When they were done, he handed the book to Hermione to look at. When she was finished, she looked up at him and smiled.

"I am sure Harry would be more than willing to remove your mark," she said.

"We have already discussed that," said Severus. "If Albus allows it, I would like for Harry to remove my mark as soon as possible."

"Severus," said Albus with a smile. "You have done more for me than any one person ever has. I will talk with Harry tomorrow about removing your mark when he has time. I would trust this task with no one else but him. He is the most gifted we have at the moment."

"Thank you Albus," said Severus. "This means a lot to me."

The adults and Hermione rose from there and started making their way out of the Head Master's office. Hermione was eager to see what the rest of the dorm thought about Hannah's report.

-------

Hannah made her way up to the dorm. When she walked in, everyone was whispering. For the first time since the dorm was created for Harry and his protectors, the door to Harry's room was closed.

"They did not see us when they passed by," said Hannah with a giggle.

"Their clothes were all messed up," said Ginny with a smile.

"I only hope true love like that finds me one day," said Padma with a look of longing on her face.

"I am rather jealous of Harry and Draco," said Parvati. "They each have the hottest guy in school.

The rest of the group started laughing at this. The conversation lasted well past midnight. Hermione had joined them and informed them that the faculty was thrilled by what had transpired.

----

Harry and Draco passed by Hermione and Hannah. Neither man had eyes for anyone but each other. They made it to the dorm. Once again neither noticed anyone that was peaking out of their doors at them. They made it to the bedroom that they now shared with each other. They kissed once more. Within moments, the passion that had ignited down by the lake lit once more. Once again, their lips traveled over each other's bodies as their passion flared out. Finally at about two in the morning, Harry and Draco drifted off to sleep in each other's arms. What neither man knew was that Hermione and Collin had taken many pictures of them before and during their dinner. Hermione was determined that they have many wonderful memories of their first date with their first true love. Hermione wanted a copy of their first dance as a souvenir. She went to bed humming their song. In the dorm the song played over and over as each young man and woman drifted off to sleep dreaming of their first love.

_Dancing in the dark, middle of the night  
Taking your heart and holding it tight  
Emotional touch, touching my skin  
And asking you to do what you've been doing all over again_

Oh, it's a beautiful thing  
Don't think I can keep it all in  
I just gotta let you know  
What it is that won't let me go

It's your love, it just does something to me  
It sends a shock right through me  
I can't get enough and if you wonder  
About the spell I'm under, oh, it's your love

Better than I was, more than I am  
And all of this happened by taking your hand  
And who I am now is who I wanted to be  
And now that we're together I'm stronger than ever, I'm happy and free

Oh, it's a beautiful thing  
Don't think I can keep it all in, no  
And if you asked me why I changed  
All I gotta do is say your sweet name

It's your love, it just does something to me  
It sends a shock right through me  
I can't get enough and if you wonder  
About the spell I'm under, oh, it's your love, oh, baby

Oh, it's a beautiful thing  
Don't think I can keep it all in  
I just gotta let you know  
What it is that won't let me go

It's your love, it just does something to me  
It sends a shock right through me  
I can't get enough and if you wonder  
About the spell I'm under, oh, it's your love  
It's your love, it's your love

AUTHOR'S NOTE – I hope that you all enjoy this chapter. I wanted to bring in a few more key elements while keeping both the danger plot going and the love portion of it going. Please let me know what you think. I am a hopeless romantic myself. I love my husband just as much now as when I met him. He is the inspiration for this love story.


	7. To Save a Dursley

DISCLAIMER – Harry Potter and its affiliates are the sole property of JK Rowling.

DISCLAIMER – This is a gay slash story. If you are uncomfortable with gay rights or homosexual innuendos, then I humbly ask that you do not embarrass you or me by reading beyond this point. Thank you for your understanding.

NOTE – Thank you all for the wonderful reviews. Many of you are eagerly waiting for the next chapter. Many said that the last chapter was awesome. I am rather proud of it myself. I have noticed that I have a few typos and such, but I thank you all for overlooking them.

**Chapter 7 – To Save a Dursley**

Friday morning came around. Harry woke up and smiled down at the sleeping form of the man he loved more than life itself. His plan for a romantic evening worked out better than he had anticipated. He quietly got up and made his way to the bathroom to clean up. When he was done he tiptoed into the bedroom to head for the closet and saw Draco up on one elbow waiting for him.

"Good morning lover," said Draco with a smile. "Last night was wonderful. We should do that more often."

Harry smiled as he walked over to Draco. He leaned down and kissed him full on the lips. It did not take long for the passion to ignite yet once again. When their passion was complete, both men got up and headed for the shower. As it was still early, they took their time and enjoyed the feel of the hot water on their skin. Once their shower was done, they headed for the huge walk in closet and got dressed. Harry put on some khaki slacks and a white button down shirt. Once he had his socks and shoes on, he chose a cream color robe to wear over it. He left the robe open so that his casual outfit could be seen. Draco watched him choose his outfit carefully and then put it on.

"I do love the way your body looks in those pants," said Draco with a mischievous smile.

"As much as that look is tempting me to grab you and make love to you again dear heart, we do have classes today," said Harry running his hands through Draco's hair. "It would be in our best interest for you to get dressed."

Draco laughed as he got dressed in his school uniform. He wore black tight fitting trousers and his white school shirt. Like Harry he left his robe open so that what he wore underneath could be seen.

"You do realize that you are evil," said Harry coming up behind him and gazing at their reflection in the mirror.

"I don't know what you are talking about," said Draco in mock astonishment. "I just want to look good for my man."

"Yeah and make all the young women in the castle drool over you," said Harry with a laugh.

"As long as I can make you drool is all that really matters to me," said Draco.

"You don't have to worry about that," said Harry walking over to his jewelry box.

The ring that Draco got him for his birthday was still on his finger. He never took it off. With so many inheritances, he just randomly picked one of the Family rings and put it on. From there he put on the gold necklace that Ginny had given him. A knock on the door interrupted Harry's thoughts. He opened it to see Hermione and Ginny standing there.

"Good morning boys," she said brightly. "I hope we are not disturbing anything important."

"No just putting on the finishing touches of my outfit," said Harry opening his arms and revealing what he was wearing.

"Harry you know you look great," said Ginny. "Now that you are eating properly and everything, you don't look malnourished anymore. You are even filling out in your chest as well."

"You aren't flirting with my man are you?" asked Draco coming out of the closet grinning.

"Of course not," said Ginny. "I would rather flirt with you stud."

Everyone laughed at the friendly banter that was passing between the two. Harry walked out into the common room and sat at his desk. He pulled out a piece of parchment and wrote a letter to his aunt.

_Dear Aunt Petunia,_

_Thank you so much for the wonderful song. We had a candle lit dinner under the moon light down by the lake. Hermione and the rest of the group helped us get everything in order even picking out what we were to wear. Enclosed in this letter is a picture of Draco and me. He loved me serenading him with that song. We are looking forward to our next date. I am so happy I could burst. With your help, I now realize what it means to be so thrilled with life. Thank you for everything. If you or the rest of the family need any money or anything, just send me a letter and I will transfer some of my money into your account at the bank._

_Love _

_Harry_

_PS: Draco says thank you for the wonderful idea. He looks forward to seeing you all again._

Harry rolled up the letter and walked over to Hedwig. He told her who the letter was for. She hooted and nipped his finger affectionately. From there, she grabbed the letter and flew out of the open window. Harry watched her fly off in the distance. Hermione cleared her throat and captured his attention.

"Harry," she said. "There was a reason that we knocked on your door earlier."

"What's the matter?" he asked. "Is something wrong?"

"We don't know yet," she said truthfully. "Professor Dumbledore said he needed to talk with you and Draco on a sensitive subject. He asked that you two report to his office as soon as possible."

Harry looked at Draco and they headed out immediately. They made their way through the castle and up to the Head Master's office. Harry knocked on the door and Albus answered it personally. Harry thought this was odd as Albus usually just waved his hand, or already had the door open. Draco and Harry entered the room and looked at Albus with mild concern. The look on the face of their friend and mentor was disturbing.

"I have some bad news," said Albus sitting down at his desk. "I suggest you two sit."

Harry and Draco locked hands and sat in the pro offered chairs. Each young man was becoming even more disturbed by the ominous sound of Albus' voice.

"What is happening Albus?" asked Harry. "Is there someone in the school that is not happy with Draco and me? Have we done something wrong?"

"No, no my dear boy," said Albus with a small smile. "If anything, you two are the delight of the school. You are both being extremely discreet and behaving very accordingly."

"Then what is going on?" asked Harry truly becoming alarmed now.

"I got word from Amelia Bones," said Albus. "As you may or may not know, she is the new Minister of Magic. She sent me a letter this morning. Voldemort has managed to rescue Lucius Malfoy and a few of the other Death Eaters. Word has it that Lucius is not happy with Draco. He is attempting to reinstate himself as head of the Malfoy family. If he succeeds in this endeavor, he is making it known that Draco will be disinherited."

"Is that all?" asked Harry. "He is out of jail and he wants the Malfoy fortune back. Is that what has you so worried?"

"Isn't that enough?" asked Albus. "If he succeeds, Draco will be cast out. He will not have a knut to his name."

"So," said Harry.

"But that means that I wont have a family anymore," said Draco. "I will not have the means to finish school or to be able to do much of anything else."

Harry grabbed Draco by the face and lifted it until Draco was looking into his eyes.

"You read the letter that I received from Gringotts," stated Harry firmly. "I think I have way more money than the Malfoy estate. I also want to point out that you have a new family."

"That doesn't help me much," said Draco with tears forming in his eyes.

"Excuse me for interrupting," said Albus. "I think what Harry is trying to say is that now that you are officially a couple that you will have access to his inheritance for anything you need or desire. Is that a correct summary Harry?"

"I could not have said it better," remarked Harry with a smile. "I will not let the man I plan on spending the rest of my life with go without having what he needs and wants in this life."

"You should not have to support me financially Harry," said Draco sadly. "It is not fair that you have to pay for everything all of the time."

"Hey, hey," said Harry gently caressing Draco's cheek. "You already have my heart. There is no reason why you should not have access to everything else I own as well. Besides, Albus said that he was trying. That doesn't mean he will succeed. I am only saying that you are in no danger of being poor and doing without. I love you to much to not want to do anything in my power to help you in any way that I can."

Draco thought about this for a moment. He looked at Albus who nodded sagely. Finally he offered his hearts treasure his most winning smile. He stood up and wrapped his arms around Harry's waist and pressed his lips to his cheek.

"Thank you beloved," he whispered to Harry. "I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I am happy that I have you."

Albus leaned back in his chair smiling. He pulled out a few documents and placed them on the desk.

"Draco," he said. "You will need to sign these contesting your father's claim. It will be up to a panel of jurors whether or not your mother and father can reclaim the Malfoy family fortune. I have a suggestion for you if you would like to hear my idea."

"I will always listen to your ideas," said Draco.

"Should they deny your father," he said. "And there is every chance they will; then I suggest that you combine your fortune with Harry's. Once you and Harry officially do this, there will no longer be a Malfoy vault to question again."

"That sounds like a great idea," said Harry. "That way you can have full access and the two of us can be the richest people in the wizarding world."

"That is putting it mildly Harry," said Albus with a chuckle. "If that is acceptable to you Draco, then all you have to do is sign these papers giving me permission to act on your behalf. Once the trial is done, then I can contact the bank and make the necessary arrangements."

Draco moved to the desk. He picked up the quill and signed his name to the documents that Albus presented him. When he was done, Harry grabbed the quill and signed his name on the documents that he needed to sign. Albus smiled at the two young men.

"Harry I have to make one remark to you," said Albus. "I am glad to know that you are no longer blaming yourself for Sirius' death. It is good to see that you are moving on with your life. I am glad that you are smiling and that your heart if full of love and compassion."

"It is what he would have wanted," said Harry. "My mom and dad, as well as Sirius would have wanted me to be happy and live my life. I am glad that I have someone as wonderful as Draco to live it with."

"I must also say," Albus remarked in good humor. "You men are looking exceedingly sharp today. I like the clothes. You both will definantly be melting some hearts today."

"You old flirt," said Harry laughing.

Albus and Draco burst out laughing. The three men stood and made their way to the stairs. Breakfast was about to start, and then Harry and Draco had classes. They made their way to the Great Hall and each sat in their places. True to Albus' words, many young woman sighed when Harry and Draco passed by. The rest of Team Potter sat there with different looks on their faces ranging from love, to awe, to mild jealousy. Harry and Draco sat and started chatting with everyone. Soon the whole ordeal in Dumbledore's office was passed on to Team Potter. Like Harry, they all defended Draco. They all were happy to hear that Harry would personally see to it that Draco never needed anything again. Breakfast began and everyone was chatting happily. When the meal was over, they all dispersed to their different classes or to the dorm. Today was going to be a challenge for Harry. He had sixth years today. In this class were Pansy Parkinson and Crabbe and Goyle. He made his way to his classroom. All of the sixth years that continued with DADA would be in this class. Thankfully, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Hannah, Susan, Draco, and Blaise would be in this class. Dean and Seamus were in another class. They did not continue with DADA. Harry was hopeful. Maybe there wouldn't be any trouble in this class.

He and the rest of the group all entered. They sat and waited for the rest of the sixth years to come in. Finally when everyone was present, Harry paired everyone up, he sat back with a small smile. He paired Hermione up with Pansy, Hannah was paired with Crabbe, and Ron was paired up with Goyle. He knew that each of these three were members of the DA the year before. He also knew that in a tight spot, that he wanted Hermione as near Pansy as possible to help keep her in control. Harry began class discussing inferi and talking about the ways of destroying them. As he progressed in his lesson, he relaxed. So far no one had tried anything. He was just approaching his desk when a stunner flew by his face hitting the black board. He quickly turned and lifted his hands. In a matter of seconds, every wand in the room was floating in the air.

"Who has such poor aim that they can not hit me when they are so near me?" asked Harry furiously. "Who would have the audacity to fire a stunner at a teacher?"

No one spoke. Team Potter all stood up, grabbed their wands out of the air, and went to stand next to Harry. Draco was livid with fury. Ron and Blaise were restraining him from hexing each student left in the class.

"Well?" asked Harry. "Will you tell me who did it? Or do I have to punish the whole class for the impertinence of one student?"

No one spoke. Harry raised his wand and mumbled the next incantation.

"Priori Incantato," he said.

Harry watched as the three Ravenclaw wands shot out things taught in charms. He released their wands to them. He looked to the Hufflepuffs whose wands were doing things from their transfiguration class. Again he released the wands to their owners. All of the Gryffindors that were in the class were in Team Potter, but Harry could still see the spells from their wands also. He looked to the last three culprits. Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle all stood defiantly and glared at him. He saw that the stunner came from Pansy's wand. He released the wands to their astonishment.

"Miss Parkinson," he said. "I will award you ten points for using a non verbal spell. I will award you another ten points for the audacity of attempting it."

The class started mumbling about this. Harry held up his hand for silence.

"I will take fifty points from Slytherin for your abysmally poor aim," he said. "I am also going to give you a detention every night for the next month. If you EVER try something that stupid again, I will see to it that you are expelled. Do I make myself clear?"

"What do I care about your words Potter," she snarled. "You don't have the guts to do us anything on your own. You have to have your body guards protecting you."

"You really think so?" asked Harry in a dangerous voice. "I will have another twenty five points from Slytherin for your rudeness and disrespect. Why don't we have a little demonstration? You three can challenge me. You may use any spell you wish with the exception of the Unforgivable Curses."

"We accept," said Crabbe.

Harry waved his wand and moved the desks to the side of the room.

"Hermione," he said. "Cast a shield over the rest of the students of the class. Draco and Blaise help her power it."

Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle sauntered into the middle of the room. Harry calmly walked into the area they would use for the duel.

"When ever you are ready," said Harry.

"Petrificus Totalus," screamed Pansy.

"Tarantallegra," grunted Crabbe.

"Reducto," said Goyle grinning madly.

Harry did not say a word. His wand was a blur as he countered each spell. When this was done, he sent three stunners in rapid concession. All three students hit the floor.

"This class, is what happens when you attempt to over power a person that has more brains in their little toe than the attacker has in their whole body," said Harry. "Professor Snape, would you be so kind, as to remove this rubbish from my class?"

Most of the class gasped as Severus materialized in the room. Team Potter knew he was there so it did not affect them the same way. What did affect them was the fury on his face.

"That class, is what happens when you attempt to attack the descendant of all four founders of this school," said Severus looking around. "You would do well to listen to what Professor Potter has to say. It could mean one of two things in your future. Either you will be unharmed and perfectly capable like Professor Potter, or you could be unconscious on the floor like this lot."

Severus quickly woke up the three lying on the floor. When they saw him standing there, they all froze.

"Professor Potter," he said lifting his left sleeve revealing his Dark Mark. "I think that they need another sample of your power. Would you be so kind as to remove this foul thing from my arm?"

Harry walked over to Severus and placed his wand on the Dark Mark. The rest of the class gathered round to watch. Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle were trying to make themselves inconspicuous. Harry stated the counter charm for the Dark Mark and the class all gasped as blood flowed from his hand onto Severus' arm. Hermione quickly conjured a cloth and Severus wiped away the blood. With it the Dark Mark vanished from his arm. Severus whipped out his own wand and examined Harry's hand. In a matter of seconds, the lacerations on Harry's hand disappeared. When that was done, Severus turned to the three offenders.

"When you are done with your detention with Professor Potter," he snarled. "You will then proceed to serve a second one with me. I will inform your parents of your blatant disrespect to a professor in this establishment. I am a hair away from expelling all three of you. As it is, you will no longer be in the advanced DADA class meaning that you will not be able to earn a NEWT in DADA. You are herby dismissed from this class."

Harry and he rest of the class watched as the trio gathered their bags and left. When Severus looked at the rest of the group, Harry and Draco bowed their heads to him and he left the room. Everyone took a seat when Harry had the desks back in place, and they continue class where they left off. Harry had no doubt in his mind that the rest of the school would hear about this by the end of the day. He hoped that the seventh years would take note of what happened and not cause problems. When class was over, Harry gave the class their homework. They filed out of the room. Draco stayed behind.

"Are you ok?" he asked. "I was so mad I could not see straight."

"Keeper of my heart," said Harry. "I am fine. I thank you for your concern. You know that I love you more than life."

"I love you too Harry," said Draco wrapping his arms around Harry's waist. "Do you need me to stay and keep an eye on seventh year for you?"

"No lover," said Harry. "Minerva will do that. Why don't you go take a walk around the lake and enjoy the fresh air? I have one more class before lunch and then two after. We can do something special later if you like."

"How about we go flying together?" asked Draco looking at Harry with desire in his eyes.

"I would love to," said Harry. "You better go before we get ourselves into trouble. I am having a hard time keeping my hands to myself and I don't want the next class to walk in on something that is not suitable for youngsters."

Draco laughed and let Harry go. As he walked out the door, he smiled at Minerva who was walking in. Harry was smiling at the retreating figure of Draco. He fought the urge to run to the door and watch him walk down the hall.

"Young love," said Minerva. "You two have it bad for one another. I for one am happy to see you so happy Harry."

"Thanks Minerva," said Harry as the class filed in. "After what happened in the last class I doubt this one will be a problem."

True to his word, the seventh year students did not challenge Harry in any way. The class went smoothly. After assigning homework, Harry went down to meet his friends for lunch. He sat there with the group and started to eat his food. Hedwig flew into the hall. Her feathers looked odd. Albus, Hagrid, and other professors stood up when they saw the state that Hedwig was in. Harry was already around his table and holding out his arm for her to land on. Draco and Hermione were by his side in a flash. Harry quickly took the letter off of her leg. Hagrid had come down and was leaning over everyone.

"Give her to me Harry," he said. "I can fix her feathers and her wing."

Harry looked deep into the eyes of Hedwig and she hooted dolefully. Harry handed her to Hagrid who left the hall immediately to help make her more comfortable. Harry unrolled the letter. It was from Petunia.

_Harry,  
_

_You have to come and help. A man that looks like your partner arrived at the house. A woman with dark hair and eyes was with him. Uncle Vernon is hurt, and they took Dudley. Please help._

_Aunt Petunia_

Harry looked at Draco and an understanding flashed between the two men. Lucius and Bellatrix had invaded the wards on the Dursley's home. What better way to lure Harry into a trap than to take a relative. Albus was by his side in an instant.

"All students are to return to their dormitories immediately," he said. "Prefects and the Head Boy and Girl will make rounds. Please guard the entrances to your dorm so that no student leaves. Professors please assist the students in this. Team Potter, I would like you all to meet me in my office. Severus, Minerva, and Filius please join us."

Harry and his group headed up the stairs. They were followed by Albus and the rest of the faculty.

"We need to go to Privet Drive at once," said Albus. "From there we can see where they took Dudley. We can also help your Uncle."

Harry and the rest of the group nodded.

"Here is the plan," said Albus thinking quickly. "All of Team Potter will stay and guard the castle except Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger, and the Weasleys. You are to make sure that no student is out of their dorm. Filius I need you to get a couple of professors to keep a close watch on the Slytherin dorm. Minerva, go and get Poppy and meet us at the entrance hall."

Everyone nodded and left to do what Albus asked. Harry led the quartet from Team Potter downstairs to the entrance way. Albus and Severus joined them. Minerva and Poppy joined them a moment later.

"Harry," said Albus. "I want you to try something for me. Everyone hold hands. Severus and I will assist you with the pull. I need you to try and apparate us to Privet Drive. Specifically get us into the back yard."

"Albus we can't apparate here in the castle or on the grounds," said Harry.

"We can't Harry," he said. "However you should be able to. Just give it a try."

Harry nodded. He focused on his heritage. He gave a shift on the spot and he apparated the whole group to Privet Drive. He looked up and was delighted to have succeeded. Albus gave him a fleeting smile and then began to tell the others what he was looking for. Severus and Poppy entered the house to find Vernon unconscious and bleeding on the floor. They worked with him and they were eventually able to stop the blood flow and bring him around. Harry and the group started looking for the tell tale sign of magic that would give them a lead as to where Lucius took Dudley. It was not long before Draco picked up the trail. Albus cast the incantation and was relieved to find that the duo took Dudley to the Malfoy Mansion. Poppy and Minerva stayed behind to help Petunia with Vernon. Severus again held on as Harry shifted on the spot and apparated the group to the grounds of the Malfoy Manor. The house was dark, but no one was fooled. There would be a fight to get inside and out of the house.

"We can use the secret entrance," whispered Draco. "Just follow me. They don't know that I know about it."

The six of them followed Draco to a small building on the back of the grounds. He touched his wand to a part of the floor, and an entrance way opened. Albus led the way followed by Harry. Draco brought up the rear so that he could close the entrance. Hermione and Ginny stayed at his side the whole time. The group followed the tunnel until it ended. Draco made his way to the front of the group and touched his wand to the door. It opened for them and they quietly entered the kitchen. There were two house elves standing there. When they saw Draco, they were about to address him. Draco held his finger to his lips and they silenced immediately.

"Where is my father," he whispered kneeling next to the nearest elf.

"In his study with Mistress Lestrange," the elf whispered back.

"Where is the boy they brought with them?" he whispered again.

"In the dungeon cell on the right," the elf whispered back.

"Thank you," said Draco kindly. "I appreciate the help."

He quickly turned to the others.

"Sev why don't you take Hermione and Ron and go to the dungeon and look for Harry's cousin," he said quietly. "The rest of us can go after my parents and Aunt Bellatrix."

"I will take Miss Weasley and start looking one way," aid Albus. "The two of you go another. Please be careful."

"Follow me Harry," said Draco and they went up the back stairs to the next floor.

Draco put his finger to his lips. He leaned close to Harry's ears and whispered to him.

"This house has many secret passageways," he said. "I know all of them. Just lead where I point. I will watch your back. Please be careful lover."

Harry smiled at Draco and gave him a quick kiss. Draco pointed to the first passage and he and Harry entered it. It led to his parent's bedroom. They gazed through a two way mirror and saw Narcissa sitting in a chair reading a book. Harry looked at Draco and mime stunning her. Draco looked at Harry and nodded. Draco released the catch on the secret door and Harry rushed in and stunned Narcissa before she even had time to register what was happening. Draco quickly conjured manacles for his mother. Harry cast a silencing charm on the door and then woke her up. When she saw who was in the room, she gasped.

"Draco," she said. "You should not have come. Your father has orders from the Dark Lord to capture you and bring you in."

"Not as long as I am alive," said Harry.

"Harry Potter," she said. "You must help him. Please I am begging you. Save my son."

"I intend to do just that," said Harry. "What is the plan? Why are they kidnapping my cousin?"

"It is a plot to destroy you of course," she said. "With some luck you will be able to avoid getting trapped. My husband and my sister are planning how to capture you here at the house."

"Don't they know I am here?" asked Harry standing beside Draco and wrapping his arm around his waist.

Narcissa eyed the movement. She looked confused at first and then she gave him a brilliant smile.

"Oh how wonderful," she said. "Draco is this, your new mate?"

"Yes mom he is," admitted Draco. "I love him with every ounce of my being."

"That is wonderful," she said. "To answer your question Harry, no they do not even know that you know what is going on. I will do what ever you want me to do. Just keep my son safe."

"Mrs. Malfoy," said Harry. "You don't seem to enjoy being a Death Eater."

"Please, call me Narcissa," she said. "I don't enjoy it at all. I am only doing what I do to protect my son. If there was a way to get out of being a Death Eater I would do it. I stay and watch so that I can protect my son."

Harry removed her bindings. She looked confused by this action.

"We have one thing in common then," aid Harry. "We both want to protect Draco. I need a quill and some parchment. Can you apparate on the grounds here?"

"Yes you can, why?" asked Draco confused.

"We are sending your mother to safety," said Harry accepting the parchment from Narcissa. "I want you to apparate to the gates of Hogwarts and then call for Minerva McGonagall. Give her this letter and she will put you somewhere safe until we return from here. Once we are back at the castle, I will remove your Dark Mark and you can go live with your sister Andromeda at Slytherin Manor."

"Can you do that?" she asked astounded.

"It is within my power to do this," assured Harry. "You must take the house elves with you. I don't want them getting hurt."

"Of course," said Narcissa. "That is the least I can do. Do not worry Harry Potter. I can play my part well. I have been doing it for over sixteen years."

Harry nodded to her. Draco leaned and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Be safe mother," he said. "We will see you soon."

She returned the kiss and then surprised both young men by placing one on Harry's cheek. She left the room quietly to go down to the kitchen. Harry and Draco left the room shortly after to continue the search for Lucius and Bellatrix. They met Albus and Ginny in the hall outside of the study. They could hear voices inside.

------

Severus led Hermione and Ron to the dungeon. Being a former Death Eater as well as the Godfather of Draco, he knew the house well.

"You both know how to cast spell trap locator charms, correct?" he asked.

Both nodded and pulled out their wands. The three of them proceeded to cast the charm. They found none. Apparently the Malfoys did not think that Severus would be here. They also did not know that anyone would know that they had kidnapped the Dursley child anyway.

They entered the dungeon and quickly went to the cell where Dudley was sitting in a corner crying. Hermione quickly opened the door and they entered the cell.

"Dudley," she said. "It is me Hermione Granger. I am Harry's friend. We have come to take you to safety. We need you to stand so that we can apparate out of here."

Dudley stood on shaking legs. He was not harmed in any way. He was just scared. It looked like he had soiled himself in fright. Hermione took pity on him and waved her wand and cleaned him up. He looked down and realized what she did and smiled.

"You need to hold our hands," she said. "Whatever you do and however you feel you must not let go or fight it. This is the only way we can get you back with your parents."

Dudley nodded his head in understanding. Hermione and Ron held hands. Dudley and Severus latched hands. Together Hermione and Severus grabbed hands and apparated the quartet back to Privet Drive.

------

Harry had Ginny and Albus back up. He flicked his hand at the door and it shattered from the impact. He and Draco entered the room to the astonishment of Bellatrix and Lucius. Albus quickly cast an anti apparition spell on the room and stayed out of sight for the moment.

"Potter," drawled Lucius not knowing Albus was just out of sight. "Thank you so much for delivering my wayward child back to me. Unfortunately it means that you will be taken prisoner along with him and brought to the Dark Lord for what I am sure is certain death."

Harry pulled Draco behind him. He reached around and pulled out Draco's wand.

"Oh," said Bellatrix with a laugh. "He wants to play. Very well Potter. Do your worst."

Harry lifted both wands and sent fireballs flying at their heads. Both were astonished at how powerful the spells were. They moved quickly out of the way and the duel started. Draco backed into the hallway. He did not want to leave Harry, but he had no wand. He did the only thing he could think of. He lifted his hands and shouted a spell.

"Expelliarmus," he shouted.

He had the satisfaction of watching four wands soar into the air. Unfortunately, two of those wands were the ones that Harry was using. He dropped the spell. Harry quickly summoned his wand and fired another spell at Bellatrix. She dodged nimbly to the side. No one ever questioned her ability to duel. She was gifted beyond extremes and was a match for any person any day. She cast her spell at Draco and was furious to see that it was deflected. She summoned her wand. She started aiming hexes at Draco. Harry was busy with Lucius and was only able to stop some of her spells.

"How are you so powerful to stop my spells nephew?" she asked trying a different tact.

"It isn't me doing it," he retorted casting another spell at her using wandless magic.

"Who taught you how to use wandless magic?" she asked again.

"Harry did," he replied.

"That still doesn't explain how you are deflecting my spells," she said getting angrier by the minute.

"That would be my doing," said Albus walking into the room.

Ginny rushed to Harry's aid in the battle with Lucius.

"Dumbledore," breathed Bellatrix. "How did you know to be here?"

"A little birdie told us," said Harry as he fired three stunners in a row at Lucius.

Ginny aimed her wand at Lucius and cast her famous Bat Bogey Hex. She had the satisfaction of seeing her spell hit him in the first try. Harry was able to stun him while he was busy trying to cast the counter spell. He crumpled to the floor. Harry turned to Bellatrix. She was out numbered. She looked around and then aimed her wand to the wall behind her. She leaped through the hole in the wall. As she fell, she turned in mid air and apparated away. Harry screamed in frustration. She had once again gotten away.

Albus quickly summoned Aurors to the house and from there they pressed charges against Lucius for kidnapping. When the Aurors took him away, Albus looked to Draco and Harry.

"Where is Narcissa," he asked.

"She is at Hogwarts," said Harry. "She is currently waiting on Draco and me to get back. I will be removing her Dark Mark."

Harry sat on the edge of the desk and recounted the whole conversation. When he was done, Albus was smiling widely.

"It is time to get back to Privet Drive," said Albus still smiling. "We can put your relatives in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff Manor."

"That is a great idea," said Harry. "I can have Gringotts send them some money so that Aunt Petunia can go shopping for food and things like that."

Harry, Draco, and Albus, grabbed Ginny, turned on the spot, and apparated to Privet Drive. When they arrived, Petunia was crying while trying to examine every inch of Dudley to make sure he was alright. When she saw Harry, she rushed over and hugged him.

"Thank you so much for bringing him back safe to me," she cried. "Thank you all for rescuing my son, and saving my husband."

Harry sat his relatives down and outlined his idea. When he was finished, his relatives looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. They looked at each other and discussed their options. In the end, they decided to take Harry up on his offer. Albus sent a patronus to the Ministry of Magic, and within moments, a couple of Aurors arrived. He quickly outlined what was happening, and they agreed to assist the Dursleys in getting moved. An Auror was assigned to keep an eye on the Dursleys at all times.

Harry and his group made it back to Hogwarts. Minerva and Narcissa rushed to the group. Harry had Draco lift her sleeve. He then proceeded to remove her Dark Mark. When he was done, Poppy cleaned his wound. Severus agreed to escort her to Slytherin Manor. All in all it was a happy day for Harry and Team Potter.

AUTHOR'S NOTE – I will end this here. I did what I did with Narcissa because even in Rowling's books, Narcissa only wanted to protect her son. Please keep sending those wonderful reviews.


	8. How am I Supposed to Know

DISCLAIMER – Harry Potter and its affiliates are the sole property of JK Rowling.

DISCLAIMER – This is a gay slash story. If gay rights or homosexual innuendos are upsetting to you, then I humbly ask that you not embarrass yourself or me by reading any further than this. Thank you.

DISCLAIMER – "Even the Nights are Better" was a song sung by Air Supply. I thought it fitting in this love story.

NOTE – Thank you for the wonderful reviews. This story is making me proud to call myself a writer. It is equally interesting to note that other writers are asking me to finish some of their stories. I will give it some thought, but I have my plate full with this story. I have to fan myself as the flames hit my face with some of the scenes. Thank you all for following along.

**Chapter 8 – How am I Supposed to Know?**

That evening there was reason to celebrate. Team Potter rescued the Dursleys, saved Draco's mother, and earned a night off. Ginny, Ron, Draco, and Hermione all earned twenty five points for the rescue mission. Harry had a late dinner prepared in the common room for those that had missed dinner while at the Malfoy Manor. They sat around and toasted each other for a job well done.

"Can you believe," said Harry. "Narcissa Malfoy actually kissed me on the cheek."

"I think mother likes you," said Draco smiling at his lover.

"Anyone who is at the forefront of protecting Draco is an ace in her book," remarked Severus.

"I meant what I said to her," said Harry. "I will give my life if it means that Draco will survive."

"I would do the same for you," said Draco with a tear in his eye.

"Let us hope it never comes to that," said Albus. "So Harry, tell us about the song you serenaded Draco with the other night."

"From what Aunt Petunia said," replied Harry. "Tim McGraw and Faith Hill sings it. It is a big hit in the United States. I know my dragon here loved it."

"Hey now," said Draco. "How often do you get serenaded by the hottest man in the castle?"

"Ugh," said Severus. "This sweetness is so cloying."

"Hush Severus," said Minerva grinning. "If you don't I will be forced to tell secrets about you and Lily Evans."

That effectively shut Severus up. He pretended to glare at her.

"I do have to say Harry," said Severus. "I happen to agree with Miss Weasley. You are looking better now that you are not so malnourished and you actually walk around with a smile on your face."

"Did you happen to see what they were wearing?" asked Hermione with a giggle. "Every head turned every time they passed someone."

"Yes I do have to say that I could never pull off that type of outfit," said Severus.

"A challenge," said Draco.

The chorus was taken up by the rest of the room.

"This time we get to take you shopping," said Harry with a smirk. "It is time for you to look less like a bat and more like the exotic man you are underneath."

Everyone stared in awe as Severus Snape blushed down to his greasy roots.

"Why do you do that to your hair?" asked Harry.

Hermione and the rest of the group looked at Harry with morbid curiosity. Many called Severus a greasy git, but never before had someone outright asked about it.

"Due to the explosions that people cause with their potions," said Severus trying not to shoot a look at Neville who was blushing. "It is a type of potion that saves my hair from getting burned to a cinder."

"So it can come off," said Harry. "I wonder what your hair looks like without the protection on it."

"My hair is actually soft, wavy, and silky," said Severus smugly. "It is unlike, the wild thing that sits on your head."

Everyone burst out laughing at this statement.

"Well aside from inheriting my father's unruly hair," said Harry laughing with everyone else. "We are taking you shopping tomorrow. It is time for you to look like a dream boat rather than a bat."

"Why you little.." said Severus lunging for Harry.

Severus tackled Harry and the two of them started wrestling on the floor. Soon enough Draco joined the fray. It was not long before everyone was rolling around laughing and having a great time. At one point, Harry happened to glance up and spotted something odd on the marauders map. He got up and headed over to the map. Albus and Minerva noticed this and they joined him.

"Oh no," said Harry sobering everyone up. "We have trouble on the grounds of Hogwarts. Albus, sound the alarm."

Harry raced out of the door followed by Albus and Minerva. Severus and the rest of the group looked at the map and their eyes grew wide. When they saw the name on the map, they raced after Harry. Albus and Minerva were busy sending patronuses to the o

ther professors. Severus had amplified his voice telling all students to report to their dorms immediately. Harry had done the same asking for all members of the DA to report to the entrance hall immediately.

Harry and the rest of the staff approached the entrance of the castle just as the first effects of the Dementors hit. They responded in kind with patronuses. As more members of the faculty and the DA arrived, they added their own patronus to the fight. Harry's stag, Albus' phoenix, Minerva's cat, Hermione's otter, Ginny's horse, and Draco's dragon were among the few that hit the Dementors. Harry noticed that Draco's patronus started to dim.

"Lover," he yelled. "Think about our date the other night."

Within seconds, Draco's patronus was as bright as Harry's. They led the charge that pushed back the Dementors. It was not long before the creatures fled into the night. The group stayed on alert. Dementors were one thing, but the Dark Lord was another entity all on his own. Soon they could hear his magically enhanced voice.

"You can not win this fight," said Voldemort. "I want the surrender of three people. If they surrender to me, I will leave the school in peace. If they do not surrender, I will destroy everyone in the castle. I want Harry Potter, Albus Dumbledore, and Draco Malfoy to surrender. Throw in Severus Snape and I will grant the rest of you a boon. You have one hour to decide."

"I can give you my answer right now," responded Harry. "I will not now nor will I ever surrender to you. You have made a big mistake coming here tonight Tom Riddle. You will never have my family, nor will you ever harm anyone or anything in this castle or on the grounds. I will beat you."

"I stand with Harry," said Draco. "We will defend this place to the very end. You can take your desire and shove it up your ass."

"I too will fight you Tom," said Albus' voice. "There is no way that you can beat the entire school."

"We fight to the end," said Severus. "If any of you Death Eaters wish to leave the service of the Dark Lord and come back to the side of the Light, Harry Potter knows how to remove your Dark Mark."

"That is impossible," said Voldemort. "Once you are in my service the Dark Mark stays until you or I die."

"Then try and punish me through the Mark and see what will happen," challenged Severus.

A rustling could be heard and then an angry outburst from Voldemort.

"How did you do that Potter?" he demanded.

"You just need to be an heir of Slytherin like I am," said Harry laughing. "A little of my blood and POOF no more mark."

"YOU LIE," screeched Voldemort. "I am the last descendant of Salazar Slytherin."

"Actually you aren't," said Draco. "I am an heir of Salazar Slytherin."

"I am one as well," said Severus.

"As am I," said Minerva.

"I will be back," said Riddle. "You will all pay for this."

"You might want to stay out of my head Tom," said Harry suddenly. "You may not like what you find in there. Oh yes, before you ask, I can feel you trying to penetrate my shields. Well I have news for you. I WON'T LET YOU IN!"

A scream of pain could be heard as Harry focused on his love for Draco and threw the Dark Lord away from his shields.

Silence could be heard. Harry sent a trickle of thought down the connection that his scar had with Voldemort. He glimpsed Voldemort walking rapidly away from the boundaries of the school. All at once the scenery changed. Voldemort had apparated away to his hiding spot.

Harry went into immediate action. He gathered Albus, Neville, Severus, Draco, Minerva, Luna, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, and Hagrid together. From there he walked up to the castle wall. He placed his hands on the wall and started to chant. The senior professors understood what Harry was doing and quickly followed suit. The rest of Team Potter all provided their support to the spell. Hermione guided Neville through the spell. Ginny and Ron worked seamlessly together as descendants of Gryffindor. Hagrid was a little out of place, but Albus quickly wrapped him in an aura of power and Hagrid lent his great strength to the spell. When the spell was in place, a shimmer could be seen around the castle. A few of the younger participants sat heavily on the ground winded.

"Harry," asked Dumbledore. "How did you know to do that?"

"How am I supposed to know?" asked Harry and then he slumped to the ground in a dead faint.

Everyone rushed to his side. Poppy quickly rushed over and ran a diagnostic over him with her wand.

"Magic reserves low," she muttered. "He is physically wiped out, but nothing seriously wrong with him. I suggest three days of bed rest."

Severus picked him up and carried him back inside the castle. Draco and Hermione were by his sides. When they reached the dorms, Draco opened the door and led the party to the room he shared with Harry. Severus laid him on the bed and help Draco take his clothes off and get him tucked into bed. Hermione came in with a wet wash cloth and placed it on Harry's forehead.

"I want him to drink these potions when he wakes," instructed Poppy to Draco. "It will help him get his magical reserves back."

Draco nodded and put them on the night stand. He removed Harry's glasses and set them to the side. Hermione and Severus meanwhile were ushering the group out of the room. Hermione walked back to Draco and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Take care of him," she said and the she left the room closing the door behind her.

"Oh my baby," whispered Draco caressing Harry's cheek. "What have you done to yourself?"

"I have absolutely no idea," said Harry in a tired voice. "I feel like I got hit by a dozen bludgers."

"Here drink this," said Draco handing him a potion. "Madam Pomfrey says it will help. You are also on a three day bed rest. You are to do nothing strenuous."

"Will you be in bed with me?" asked Harry with a smile.

"I think that falls under the category of strenuous," he said with a chuckle. "However I will spend as much of my time here as I can without causing problems. Please behave and listen to the nurse. If you don't she will have my balls for it."

"Oh no," said Harry with a tired chuckle. "Those are mine."

Draco got up laughing and went to get a fresh cloth for his forehead. When he got back, Harry had fallen asleep again. There was a beautiful smile on Harry's lips. Draco got up quietly and went into the common room.

"He woke up long enough to crack a few jokes," said Draco. "I made him drink the potions. He fell back asleep. I think this crisis is over for the moment."

"Good," said Albus. "We were just trying to figure out how he knew how to do that."

"Well he has read just about every book in this room," said Draco. "Maybe the answer is in one of them."

"That is a high possibility," said Albus. "Dobby and Winky personally categorized every single book here. Maybe they know the section we can look in."

"It is here," squeaked Winky handing him a book. "I is hearing you talk. I is knowing what book you is wanting."

"That is most kind of you Winky," said Albus accepting the book. "I shall read this and let you all know what I have discovered."

"What is the title of the book?" asked Severus curiously.

"The Building of Hogwarts," said Albus. "Harry must have gotten this book from one of the Manors of the founders."

"It came from Gryffindor Manor," said Dobby looking up at Albus. "I is personally logging where they is all coming from. I is giving you the list if you is wanting Head Master."

"Why don't you make a copy of this list and give it to Professor Snape," suggested Albus kindly to the elf.

Dobby bowed low and snapped his fingers. A copy of the list appeared in his hand. He handed the copy of the list to Severus who took it with a nod of thanks. Dobby quietly entered the room Harry and Draco shared to go and check up on him.

"Is you wanting refreshments?" asked Winky to Albus.

"Thank you, but no," said Albus patting her kindly on the shoulder. "The care you give to Harry and Draco is very admirable. I think we should call it a night. Draco I am sure you are eager to be with Harry. Everyone please take tomorrow off and do something leisure. Do not forget that we have a special class a seven on Sunday."

Albus and the rest of the senior staff rose and quietly left the room. Severus was still scanning the list Dobby had given him.

"Albus there are some powerful books in this collection," he said. "Do you think it wise to leave them in this dorm room?"

"Do you not have trust in your Godson and his mate?" asked Albus.

"Well of course I do," said Severus sharply. "I was not implying that Harry or Draco would do anything Dark with this information. I am concerned for the rest of the Team.

"I have little doubt that anyone in this dorm would do anything untrustworthy with these books," said Albus. "Also let us remember that they do in fact belong to Harry. His concern for anything that lives and breathes is admirable."

"You are right of course," said Severus. "I just felt it wise to at least voice the concern. I meant no disrespect to Harry or his companions."

"I know Severus," said Albus. "Time is passing us by my friend. What you see in that dorm room is the next generation of heroes."

"I know," said Severus. "The sad part is that they have to fight so young."

"I know my friend," said Albus sadly. "How about we have a night cap in my office?"

The two men left discussing the day's events.

------

During the night, Harry felt Voldemort attempt to penetrate his shields a couple times. Harry was able to block him every time causing pain to the Dark Lord. After one such attempt, Harry sat straight up in bed. He was covered in sweat. Draco woke up immediately and looked anxiously at Harry. Harry got up out of the bed. He stood by the bed on trembling legs. Draco got up and assisted him to the bathroom. Harry requested a cool shower and Draco obliged him by standing in the water with him while Harry cooled off.

"I have fought Voldemort off from my shields twice so far tonight," said Harry. "I am so tired. I just want to sleep. There has got to be something in those books we retrieved from the Manors that tells us how to stop this."

"We will just have to look for it them," said Draco. "I am sure that we can get Hermione and the rest of the team to help."

Draco turned off the water and grabbed a towel and proceeded to dry Harry off. He got to Harry's chest and realized that Ginny was right. Harry was filling out nicely. He could not resist himself. He leaned over and gently kissed Harry's let pectoral muscle. Harry moaned in pleasure. Draco finished drying him off and led Harry to their bed. Harry relaxed on the bed as Draco gently started kissing him from his calf all the way up his leg. He moved further up to Harry's stomach and then concentrated on his chest. When he reached Harry's neck, there was no stopping Harry. He moaned with pleasure and bucked as he was fully erect and ready for action. Draco decided that he would grant his request. Thirty minutes later, the two men laid across the bed with their arms wrapped around each other. Harry was once again sleeping and Draco was gently caressing his hair. It was not long before Draco drifted into a wonderful dream.

The next morning, Harry woke. He was still a little tired, but he remembered the pleasant way that Draco helped him get back to sleep. He laid still for awhile as Draco slept in the protective crook of his arm.

"To think that I could be this happy," Harry thought to himself. "I am glad that this wonderful man is in my life."

Draco stirred after a few moments. Harry watched as he opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. Harry smiled when Draco's eyes met his. Harry leaned over and kissed him gently on the lips. The electric charge that was always there still shocked Harry every time their lips met. Almost immediately their passion erupted into flames. This time it was Harry that tormented and teased every bit of flesh on Draco's body. When their passion was finally extinguished, Harry and Draco stood up to go to the shower. Harry stood a little shaky at first, but was able to make it to the bathroom by himself. Draco watched in amazement. Harry seemed like a rubber band. He was stretched thin, but when the pressure was released, he snapped back just as strong. Draco hoped that Harry would not get stretched to far. When they were done with their shower, Harry led them to the closet to get dressed. Harry selected a pair of tight blue jeans for Draco and a sapphire blue shirt to go with it. He then selected a pair of tight black jeans for himself and a red button down shirt to match. They had told Severus that they were taking him shopping today. Harry was not going to be left out of this trip by any means. When they were finished getting dressed they left the room only to be met by Madam Pomfrey.

"Where do you think you are going?" she demanded. "I specifically stated that you had three days of bed rest."

"Poppy, please relax," said Harry. "I feel fine, and I won't be doing anything strenuous today. You can check me if you want."

She pulled out her wand and scanned him. From there she looked at him in shock.

"What's wrong?" asked Harry becoming alarmed. "Is there some damage that I don't know about?"

"No," she said. "I can't explain what I am seeing. Let me try again. Maybe I just read it wrong."

She scanned him again with her wand. When that didn't show her different results, she borrowed his wand and ran the scan again.

"This is the weirdest thing," she said. "Yesterday when we carried you in, you were magically drained. Your body was out of magical and physical reserves. Today is like yesterday never happened. I can not find anything wrong with you at all."

"Well that is a good thing," said Harry with a relieved sigh. "So if I promise to take it easy, can I go on this shopping trip?"

"I see no reason to say no," she admitted. "Just take it easy so that you don't have a relapse."

"I promise," said Harry with a laugh.

Together with Draco, they left the common room and made it to the Great Hall for breakfast. When they entered, all eyes riveted to them. They walked side by side to their table and sat down. Albus sat at the staff table with his eyes twinkling like mad. Hermione and Ginny were giggling profusely at their table. Severus even had a smirk on his face. The beauty of these two young men was glorious to behold. The boys sat down and started to eat their breakfast. Harry turned to look at the Head Table.

"Do not forget," said Harry. "We leave in about an hour to go shopping."

Albus and Minerva hid their smiles behind their hands. Severus scowled at Harry. He gave him a quick smile and a nod and went back to his scowl. After all he still had a reputation as the meanest teacher to uphold. After breakfast, Severus, Harry, Draco, and Ron met at the entrance way. Harry and Severus formed a circle with the others and apparated to Diagon Alley. They went into the clothing store where they spent hours making Severus try on different outfit combinations. Everything that Harry and Draco thought looked good on Severus they put on the counter. Severus kept insisting that they not buy him anymore, but the younger wizards were not having any part of that. When it was all said and done, Severus had at least thirty pairs of jeans, slacks, and other assortment of pants. He also acquired at least thirty shirts of all colors and styles. While they were out and about, Harry excused himself from the group for a few moments and went on a secret mission. He was back a few minutes later looking very smug at Draco. Harry had taken care of a number of things in that short span of time. He could not wait for the holidays. Quite a few people would be thoroughly excited come this Christmas. The quartet made their way back to the castle. Both Severus and Ron were loaded with packages. For once, Ron had clothes that fit him and in colors of his choice.

"We are having dinner in our common room," said Harry. "Please come dressed in some of your new clothes."

Harry and Draco had a quick conference. Harry headed off to invite certain staff members, and Draco went back to their dorm to inform their house mates of the change in plans for dinner.

A few hours later, Harry and Draco had the table set up for everyone in the dorm as well as the half dozen professors that would be attending. Ron came out in a new pair of jeans and a black polo shirt. He was rather embarrassed by the new clothes, but after getting many compliments from his friends, he relaxed and began to enjoy himself. Shortly the staff came in and Harry and Draco showed them to their seats. Both young men had showered and changed into blue jeans and matching grey button down shirts.

"Ugh," said Severus walking in. "They are even starting to dress the same. This is getting sick."

"Oh shut up Severus," said Minerva laughing. "I think they look wonderful. Oh my goodness. Look at you. You look great.

Severus smiled as he came in. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans with a light blue button down shirt with a navy blue tank top under it. His hair was free of the potion that kept it oily looking. It was flowing silky soft around the nape of his neck.

"Wow Severus," said Harry. "You look amazing."

"Thank you Harry," said Severus. "I feel good."

The rest of the group all added their compliments to Severus who took it all with a smile. They all sat down to eat a delicious dinner that Harry had Dobby and Winky prepared. They left all matters of importance away from the conversation. This was to be a night of friendship and fun. They sat talking until late in the evening. Slowly the group started to disband as certain professors or students made for their quarters. Soon it was just Albus, Severus, Hermione, Harry, Draco, and Ginny.

"I must say gentlemen," said Albus. "You both are very outstanding. You behave rationally in public. At the same time you can tell that the two of you are so deeply and purely in love."

"I have to agree," said Severus. "Not only do you act accordingly, but you give off this aura that says that no one will take away the other. I must admit that I am fascinated with the way you interact with each other. I have been listening and watching around the castle. Everyone knows you two are a couple. No one seems to care."

"Well we still have to maintain the image of Professor and student," said Harry.

"I have a proposition to both Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy," said Albus. "Why don't both of you sit for your NEWTS this summer. With tutoring from Harry, I am sure that you both will do admirably. I happen to know that a couple of professors are interested in retiring at the end of this year. The addition of the two of you to the staff will make things a lot easier for the future."

"We have time to work on that," said Draco. "I think with proper training that we could pass."

"I agree with Draco," said Hermione. "I would like to try and see how I do."

"Very well then," said Albus smiling. "When the time is right, I will set it all up. For now, I am rather tired and I would like to go to bed. I wish you all a pleasant evening."

With a round of goodnight, Albus got up and left the room. Hermione yawned and then she too excused herself to go get some rest. Severus had a look on his face that stated he clearly had something on his mind.

"Spit it out Sev," said Draco. "We are mature enough to handle anything you have to say."

"It has nothing to do with either of you," said Severus. "It is Albus. I am worried about him. He seems so tired all of the time. I know that he leaves the school a lot at night. My fear is that he is not getting enough rest. He is not a young man anymore by any means."

"So what can we do?" asked Harry. "You know that if it is within our power to help we will do what ever we can."

"I know Harry," said Severus. "At the moment there is not much that we can do. We can only help if he allows us to."

"I know we have that special class tomorrow," said Harry. "Maybe that will give us some insight as to what he is up to."

"That is a distinct possibility," said Severus. "I guess we just have to wait and see."

"Thanks for confiding in us Severus," said Draco.

Severus stood up. He embraced both young men and then left them alone together. Harry stood up and embraced Draco.

"My Aunt sent us a new CD," he said. "How about we go and listen to it?"

Draco smiled and pulled Harry to their room. When he shut the door Harry pointed his wand at the CD. It rose and started playing. He grabbed Draco by the waist and pulled him into a slow dance. The words flowed from the disc to the delight of both young men.

_I, I was the lonely one  
Wondering what went wrong  
Why love had gone  
And left me lonely_

I, I was so confused  
Feeling like I'd just been used  
Then you came to me  
And my loneliness left me

I use to think I was tied to a heartache  
That was the heartbreak but now that I've found you

Even the nights are better  
Now that we're here together  
Even the nights are better  
Since I found you

Even the days are brighter  
When someone you loves beside you  
Even the nights are better  
Since I found you

You, you knew just what to do  
'Cause you had been lonely too  
And you showed me how  
To ease the pain

And you did more  
Than mend a broken heart  
'Cause now you've made a fire start  
And I, I can see that you feel the same way

I never dreamed there'd be someone to hold me  
Until you told me and now that I've found you

Even the nights are better  
Now that we're here together  
Even the nights are better  
Since I found you

Even the days are brighter  
When someone you loves beside you  
Even the nights are better  
Since I found you

I never dreamed there'd be someone to hold me  
Until you told me and now that I've found you

Even the nights are better  
Now that we're here together  
Even the nights are better  
Since I found you

Even the days are brighter  
When someone you loves beside you  
Even the nights are better  
Since I found you

Even the nights are better  
Now that we're here together  
Even the nights are better  
Since I found you

By the time the song had made its first repeat, clothes were shed and both men were once again showing each other just how much they loved one another.

Ginny sat at her desk. She smiled as she listened to the words of the song. It fit the relationship that Harry and Draco had to the letter.

"I wonder if the one that I am interested in will feel the same way about me that Draco and Harry feel about each other," she thought.

AUTHOR'S NOTE – Ok. I am a sucker for romance. I am enjoying the romantic parts. I am working hard to make the story stays entertaining by bringing these two men together in a love that is eternal. At the same time I am dropping just enough bad guys stuff to keep the plot twisting. I hope that you enjoy.


	9. It's in His Kiss

DISCLAIMER – Harry Potter and its affiliates are the sole property of JK Rowling.

DISCLAIMER – This story is a gay slash love story. If you are uncomfortable with gay rights or homosexual innuendos, then I humbly ask you to not embarrass me or you by reading beyond this point. Thank you for understanding.

DISCLAIMER – "This Kiss" was performed by Faith Hill.

NOTE – You guys are just as hopeless of a romantic as I am. Thank you all for the wonderful reviews. For every review that I receive it gives me more incentive to continue writing this story. I personally thank each and every one of you.

**Chapter 9 – It's in his Kiss**

Harry and Draco woke early the next morning. Both were in high spirits. As they did each day, they showered and chose the perfect outfit for the other. Today, Harry was dressed in a pale green button down shirt with a dark green tank top under it. He was wearing white slacks. Draco was wearing a silver silk shirt with black slacks. When they were done, they entered the common room. Hermione made it a custom to have them stand together each morning and get a picture of them. She was forming a scrap book for them to highlight their new love.

"I have business to attend at the bank," said Harry. "Would you like to come with me Dragon?"

"I would love to," said Draco. "What do we need to do there?"

"Well I have a requisition for the goblins to make something for me," said Harry. "Plus I want to dig around some more in our vault to see if I can find certain relics that I would like to post here in the dorm."

"Oh Harry," said Hermione. "May I join you? I am sure the Head Master will give permission to make it a group thing."

"Get Ron and Ginny and I will speak with Albus at breakfast to get permission," promised Harry.

Hermione hurried to Ginny's room to tell her the news. Ron overheard the conversation and acknowledged that he too would love to join the group on a scavenger hunt inside of Harry's vault. When they were mostly gathered, Harry and Draco led the way to the Great Hall for breakfast. As usual, when they entered, all heads turned to stare at the beauty that both men possessed. Harry approached the Head table as the rest of the group sat down.

"Albus," said Harry. "I have a couple of questions for you."

"I am all ears," said Albus with a smile. "I must say that color does suit you."

"Thanks," said Harry blushing. "I am going to Gringotts today. I was wondering if Draco, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny could come with me."

"I see no problem with that," said Albus. "How long will you be gone?"

"A couple of hours at least," said Harry. "I have a requisition for the goblins of the bank and then we are going on a scavenger hunt in our vault. We are going straight there and back. No deviations."

"You have my full permission," said Albus. "I do not think that Molly would mind as long as her children are with you. Both you and Draco are adults, so that does not pose a problem there. I have already gotten permission from the Grangers for Hermione to go on field trips as it were. Now, you said you had more than one question. What would the other be?"

"I was wondering if we could showcase the sword of Godric Gryffindor in our common room," said Harry. "If you say no, then I will totally understand."

"Let me ponder that and get back with you on it," said Albus.

"Fair enough," said Harry taking his leave to sit at his table.

"That sword has never left the Head Master's office since the day Godric himself put it there," said Minerva looking horrified at Albus.

"I am aware of that Minerva," said Albus. "On the other hand, the sword does rightfully belong to him."

"That is all very well," said Minerva. "We can't let him just break tradition."

"Actually if he pushes the issue," said Albus. "We will have no choice."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Harry has more authority here than I do," said Albus gravely. "This is something that he knows. He does not however, choose to act upon it."

"Are you serious?" she asked in shock. "Are you telling me that at any given time, Harry can take over this castle and order us around?"

"Yes I am," said Albus. "Now, aren't you glad that we know Harry would never do anything like that?"

"Yes," she admitted. "His heart is entirely too pure for that, nor does he want that kind of power."

"All he wants is to be normal," chimed in Severus. "I for one would trust Harry with my life."

"Will you give him the sword Albus?" asked Minerva.

"We will just have to see how it is played out," said Albus.

Harry was listening to every word that was said. He smiled at the confidence that both Albus and Severus had in him. He did not fault Minerva for her concerns. It was only natural. Their comments were head on. He did not want the power. He just wanted to love and be loved. Draco squeezed his hand under the table letting him know that he too heard the conversation.

When breakfast was over, Harry and those that would be joining him at the bank walked to the entrance hall. Harry looked around to make sure that no one was watching and then he apparated the group to the entrance of Gringotts. They entered the bank and were immediately met by Griphook.

"Mr. Potter," he said. "It is a pleasure seeing you again. To what do we owe the privilege of your visit today?"

"I came to see if the goblins would make something for me," said Harry.

"Please come to my office and we can discuss it," said Griphook.

He led the quintet to a small office. Draco and Harry sat while the rest stood behind them leaning up against the wall.

"What is it that you would like for the goblins to make for you?" asked Griphook once everyone was settled.

"I want a pair of swords very similar to the one that was made for Godric Gryffindor," said Harry to the astonishment of the group. "Can it be done?"

"Of course it can be done Mr. Potter," said Griphook. "The records for the design are here in the bank. How would you like the swords to look?"

"I need one with a ruby in it," said Harry. "I need a second one with the biggest pearl you can find set into the handle."

Griphook was busy taking notes. He was nodding as Harry was giving the details.

"What will be engraved on the swords?" asked the goblin.

"Harry and Draco Potter," said Harry.

"Will that be on both blades?" asked Griphook.

"Yes," said Harry. "I have no trouble paying for them. I am sure that you will give me a fair price for them. When you have them finished, send me a bill and we can negotiate a price that is more than fair for the goblins."

"It would be an honor to create these swords for you," said Griphook. "Is there other business that you have with the bank today?"

"Yes," said Harry with a smile. "We would like to visit the Potter vault. I received a letter that said you moved everything from my other vaults into that one."

"That is correct," said Griphook. "It was the biggest job that Gringotts has seen in a long time."

"We would like to put a freeze on the Malfoy vault as well," said Harry. "At least until the trial is over. If for whatever reason Lucius gets out of prison again, we do not want him having access to Draco's money."

Griphook looked over to Draco who nodded his head in agreement.

"Very well," said Griphook. "It shall be done."

"There is one very small stipulation," said Harry. "If Mrs. Narcissa Malfoy comes and needs anything, please take it out of the Potter vault. We do not want her being punished for the sins of her husband."

"That is easy to fix Mr. Potter," said Griphook pulling out documents for Draco and Harry to sign.

"Harry that was the sweetest thing I have ever witnessed," said Hermione with tears in her eyes.

"Even sweeter than the ten million galleon account that I opened for you?" asked Harry teasing her with the gold key.

She sat there stunned. Harry and Draco laughed as each young man planted a kiss on her cheeks. She was too shocked to say anything. She took the key from Harry and placed it in her pocket.

"We need to visit the vault now," said Harry to the goblin. "I imagine we will be there for a couple of hours."

"I will have carts brought around for you," said the goblin watching the interaction with interest. "I must say, you are a rare wizard indeed Mr. Potter. Not many would do half of what you have done since you inherited all of your possessions."

"He is definantly unique," said Draco kissing Harry on the cheek. "That is why we love him."

Ten minutes later saw Harry opening the vault. The group entered and began to look at different things. Harry had a list of objects he was specifically looking for. It was not long before he found three of the items. He picked up the swords of Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw and admired the beauty of each. They were identical to Godric's sword in every way except the name and the color of the gemstone in the handle. Harry carried these back to the entrance of the cave. He then proceeded to look around some more. He did not find the four items he was searching for. He did discover some odd looking books. He opened the first one and started flipping through the pages. When he realized what it was, he closed it. He brought the four books and set them next to the swords. Two hours later, they had searched through the entire vault.

"If anyone needs money go ahead and take what you need," said Harry. "We may not be coming back for awhile."

The students took a leather sack and filled it with money. Harry took a special sack and placed the swords and books inside of it. Together they left the vault. The goblins that stayed to escort them back to the surface quickly steered the carts. When they reached the entrance of the bank, Griphook rushed over to Harry.

"Mr. Potter," he aid. "I have talked with the goblins that are in charge of your request. They have come up with the price of one hundred thousand galleons for your swords."

"That is fine with me," said Harry. "Do you need me to sign anything?"

"I have the document right here," said the goblin. "It will be about two weeks before the swords are done."

"That will be fine," said Harry signing the document. "Please have them delivered to Hogwarts for me."

"It will be a pleasure," said Griphook.

Harry smiled at the goblin and he and his group made it to the entrance of the bank. They all held hands and Harry apparated the group back to the common room of their dorm.

"You could have gotten those swords for a lot less than that Harry," said Ron. "Bill works for Gringotts. He would have quoted you a fair price."

"I am sure he would have," said Harry. "What I have succeeded in doing is causing the bank to give me special service from now on. It will be easier in the future to get things done that are needed without a lot of red tape."

"That is true," said Hermione nodding her head thoughtfully. "It also puts trust in you for the goblins."

"Exactly," said Harry. "Could one of you go and let Albus know we are safely back in the castle?"

"That will not be necessary," said Albus entering. "I spotted your return on the map. I was wondering if you all were interested in starting the lesson I had planned early."

"Of course Albus," said Harry. "Why don't Hermione and Ron go and gather the rest of the group."

The two nodded and went off in search of the rest of Team Potter. Draco went around and gathered those that were still in the dorm. They all took their places at their desks and waited patiently for Ron and Hermione to come back with the rest of the team. It was not long before the entire group was present and sitting. Each had parchment and ink and were ready to take notes. Albus stood in the middle of the room.

"Has anyone heard of the term horcrux before?" he asked.

Harry, Draco, and Hermione all raised their hands. Albus nodded his head to them.

"For those of you that do not know what a Horcrux is please pay attention to what I am about to tell you," said Albus. "A Horcrux is the word used for an object in which a person has concealed part of their soul. When you commit an act of pure evil, you split your soul and can contain the fragment into an object outside of the body. That way even if ones body is destroyed, one cannot die, for part of the soul still remains earthbound and undamaged."

"So why are you telling us this?" asked Hannah. "It sounds horrible. I can't imagine anyone wanting to do that to themselves."

"Cant you?" asked Harry quietly. "Can you not think of any one person that would love to get his hands on this information?"

"The Dark Lord," breathed Susan Bones. "We must never let him get his hands on this information. For him to never die would be a disaster. All he would have to do is out live us."

"I am afraid," said Albus quietly. "That Voldemort has already found and used this information."

"How do you know?" asked Seamus.

"I have made it my life project to find out as much as I could about the man was once named, Tom Riddle," answered Dumbledore. "I happen to know that Voldemort has made more than one Horcrux."

"How do you know that?" asked Harry.

"You have already destroyed one," said Albus. "I have destroyed a second."

"So there could be dozens more out there," said Ginny in disgust.

"I don't think so," said Albus.

For the next hour he recounted the conversation he had with his former colleague Horace Slughorn. When he was finished with that part of his story, Harry raised his hand.

"So you are saying that there will be seven total?" he asked.

"Six," corrected Albus. "The seventh one was never made."

"How do you know?" asked Hermione.

"Because Harry is still sitting with us today," said Albus. "You all have heard about the prophecy by now. Voldemort in turn only heard part of it. He was going to turn his potential threat into the final horcrux. I believe that the powers of his mother's blood that died to protect him saved him from the terrible fate. As you know the killing curse rebounded off of Harry and hit Voldemort instead. As I stated earlier, Harry has already destroyed one Horcrux and I have destroyed another. That means there is still four out there."

"I don't understand," said Harry. "How did I kill a Horcrux? I don't even know what they look like."

"Tom Riddle's diary of course," said Albus.

"I remember now," said Harry. "I stabbed it with the basilisk fang in my second year. The diary sort of bled when I stabbed it."

"That is correct," said Albus. "After that night I made it a point to find out as much as I could about Tom Riddle's past. I traced his family tree back using the book I found and went to visit the shack his mother grew up in. I found his grandfather's ring in the rubble."

"But Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione. "There are very few ways to kill a Horcrux. Basilisk venom and Fiendfyre is two ways. How did you kill the Horcrux in the ring?"

"With the sword of Godric Gryffindor," said Albus. "Goblin steel imbibes that which can make it stronger. So when Harry stabbed the basilisk down in the Chamber of Secrets, the sword took on qualities of the venom."

"So it's true then," said Draco. "My lover went down into the Chamber of Secrets and killed a full grown basilisk?"

"I am afraid it is," said Albus. "That is how he managed to save Ginny."

"Had it not been for Fawkes I would have died down there," said Harry getting up and scratching Apollo and Artemis under their chins."

"Well you had better not let me catch you going off by yourself and doing that again," said Draco. "I am glad you saved Ginny, but you should not have gone alone.

"He wasn't alone," said Ron. "I was with him until Lockhart used my broken wand and caused the ceiling to cave in."

"What we need," said Albus bringing the groups attention back to him. "Is for Harry to venture into Tom's mind and see if he can find out where the other Horcruxes are."

"I don't know about that," said Draco nervously. "I don't like the idea of Harry flitting around in the Dark Lord's mind."

"If it can help us then it will be worth it," said Harry. "I have no doubt that Albus will be able to do something if things get out of control."

"You know I will worry anyway," said Draco. "I am scared for you Harry."

"I know my love," said Harry gently taking his hands into his own. "I will be careful. I have to try baby. It is the only thing that will help us get rid of Voldemort."

"What do I have to do Albus?" asked Harry turning to him.

"You would have to employ Legilimency while you are using the connection between you," explained Albus. "We don't want you to stay in there long. Even if you only get the chance to find out where one or two of them are that is better than nothing."

Harry sighed and sat back in his chair. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the link between him and the Dark Lord. When he had the connection open, he entered the thoughts of the most powerful Dark Wizard to have ever lived. He employed a small portion of Legilimency. He did not want to push too much in case the Dark Lord figured out that he was in there. Harry spotted the information he was looking for. He pushed a little further trying to get the locations of all four Horcruxes. He smiled in delight as he finally saw what they were and their locations. He was about to pull out of Voldemort's mind when trouble began.

"Leaving so soon Potter?" said Voldemort. "It would appear that you are having fun. Don't leave on my account. By all means, stay as long as you like."

Back at Hogwarts, Harry's body arched as he slumped forward and started thrashing around. Screams of pain could be heard from Harry as Voldemort tortured him.

"DO SOMETHING," screamed Draco at Albus. "GET HIM OUT OF THERE!"

Albus at first was in shock. He raced to Harry's side and tried to get Harry on his back. Then Draco, Blaise, Ron, and Neville rushed in to assist. Neville grabbed Harry's legs. However Harry was bucking so violently that Neville took a foot to the underside of his chin knocking him out cold. Seamus and Dean rushed in to take Neville's place. Hannah and Susan rushed out to go get help from Severus and Poppy. Minutes later Severus, Minerva, Pomona, Poppy, and Filius rushed in to assist however they could. Ginny was leaning over Harry's chest effectively keeping him pinned to the floor. The Patil twins had their hands over their ears and were crying from the painful screams that Harry was issuing. Hermione was busy trying to bring Neville back to consciousness. Pomona and Filius took over for her and within moments had Neville alert if somewhat shaky. A bruise was forming on his chin where Harry's foot caught him.

"What in the hell is going on here," asked Severus over Harry's shouts.

"I am afraid that I asked Harry to do something that has backfired," said Albus sadly twirling his wand trying to bring Harry back.

"What did you have him do?" asked Minerva with a hand on Draco's shoulder. "Mr. Malfoy, please pull yourself together. Harry will not thank you for losing your head during a crisis."

"I just want Harry out of Voldemort's mind," said Draco angrily. "I have news for you Head Master. He will never be doing this again. Now you had better get him out of there this instant."

"Calm down Draco," snapped Severus trying to hold on to Harry. "Try and project your love to Harry. If he can hear anything it will be that."

Draco closed his eyes and got near Harry's ear. He whispered his love like a mantra into the ear of his heart and soul. His tears fell on Harry's face as Draco begged him to be strong and fight his way out of there. It seemed like ages before Draco's voice finally gave out. He did not know what else to do for his lover. He grabbed Harry's head and kissed him full on his lips. He projected every ounce of love that he had for Harry in that one kiss. During the kiss he let his mind flash the pictures of their date by the lake. He showed Harry with his mind the love they shared the last week in the privacy of their room. He lifted his head and looked at Hermione.

"Play the disc from our first date," he instructed her.

She ran to their room and the song that they first danced to flowed to the common room. Draco let more tears fall onto Harry's face. He once again pressed his lips passionately onto Harry's with grim determination. A golden glow surrounded the two men. Those that were holding on to Harry had to move and shield their eyes. The glow lasted for a few minutes. When it finally died out, Harry had his arms wrapped around Draco and was kissing him back with fierce passion.

"What was that?" asked Pomona.

"A soul bonded pair," said Hermione with a smile on her face.

"I beg your pardon?" asked Pomona. "What are you talking about?"

"Harry and Draco have each vowed to die for the other," explained Hermione. "They have come close to it already. Each has defended the honor, integrity, and love of the other. Bondings of this nature are extremely rare. They can only happen in same sex couples. Even though it is normal for same sex couple to be in the magical world, a couple binding doesn't happen often."

"How do you know that?" asked Minerva looking over fondly at Hermione.

"They do not call me the book worm for nothing," said Hermione with a grin. "I read it in a book of course. Here, let me show you."

She got up and went to the book case by the far side of the wall. She scanned the shelf for a moment and pulled down the volume she was looking for. Quickly she opened it to the correct page and handed the book to the others to read. While they were doing that, she gently nudged Harry and Draco with her foot. Both were very red in the face as they got up. Draco helped Harry sit in his chair and then sat in his lap and put his arms around his neck. The rest of the group all read the history in groups of two and three. When all of them had finally read it, Hermione closed the book and returned it to the shelf.

"That is simply amazing," said Minerva.

"Harry I owe you the biggest apology that I can possibly give," said Albus. "I asked you to do something that was highly dangerous. It was wrong of me to do it. Draco I owe you an apology as well for putting Harry in that danger. I swear a wizard's oath to never ask you to do that again."

"Thank you Head Master," said Draco. "That means a lot to me."

"What actually happened?" asked Ginny.

"I will not go into the horrifying details," said Harry holding Draco tighter. "Let's just say that he has shown me every horror he could drag up in my life starting with my parents and ending with Draco. I do know where his Horcruxes are though."

"YOU were actually able to get that information?" asked Hermione impressed. "Well done Harry."

"Did he say Horcrux?" asked Filius fearfully.

"I am afraid so," said Albus. "Voldemort has created six of them. I asked Harry to enter Voldemort's mind to find the location of the remaining four."

"So where are they?" asked Ron. "The sooner we know is the sooner we can find and destroy them."

"One will be very easy to obtain," said Harry. "One of them is called the Lost Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw. Does that mean anything to anyone?"

"It is her personal headdress," said Luna. "It is rumored that she cast a spell on it to enhance the wisdom of the wearer. It disappeared right before her death."

"Very well said Miss Lovegood," said Albus. "Ten points to Ravenclaw. Where is the Diadem now Harry?"

"In the room of requirement," he said. "It is here in the castle. That is the one that will be easy to acquire."

"Where are the other three?" asked Dean.

"One is at Gringotts," said Harry. "It's the cup of Helga Hufflepuff. It is not in the Potter vault though. It is in the Lestrange vault."

"We will work on that," said Albus. "Where and what is the next one?"

"Slytherin's Locket," said Harry. "It is in some cave in the middle of the water."

Harry quickly conjured an image of the three relics that they were looking for.

"Harry," said Ginny. "That locket was in the trash bag at Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Sirius threw it out."

"I remember now," said Harry. "We could not figure out how to open it. Now I know why. You need to be a parseltongue to open it. That locket could be anywhere by now."

"Kreacher had a habit of stealing the heirlooms back," reminded Hermione. "Maybe this was one of them."

"Kreacher," called Albus and watched as the old elf popped into view.

"Master called?" he said bowing to Albus.

"Did you take that locket from the trash?" asked Albus pointing at the image of the locket.

Kreacher's eyes got wide. He threw himself on the floor and started screaming.

"BE QUIET," snapped ten different voices.

The elf looked around and realized that many purebloods had given him a direct order. He glared at Harry.

"Don't even say it," said Harry in a warning voice. "My blood is purer than yours. Now where is the locket?"

"Master Regulus gave it to Kreacher," sobbed the elf. "I failed my master."

Albus coaxed the entire story out of Kreacher.

"You did not fail," said Harry. "You were just unable to complete the command. I am the only one that has the power to destroy the locket. If you go get it, I will help you complete your mission."

Kreacher looked at Albus who nodded his head. With a pop, the elf vanished.

"While waiting on him to return," said Albus. "Why don't you tell us what and where the last Horcrux is?"

"It is with Voldemort," said Harry. "It is his snake Nagini. She is the last Horcrux."

"Getting to her will be a problem," admitted Albus. "If you do not mind my asking, what helped you get out of Voldemort's head?"

"Draco," Harry said pointedly. "It's in his kiss. Every time I kiss him I feel the electricity that passes between us. So when he kissed me, I could feel my body calling to me because of the emotions his kisses give me. I could hear his words encouraging me to fight. I wonder if there is a song we can add to our collection about this experience?"

"I think I have the perfect one," said Hermione running to her room.

She reappeared a few moments later with a disc in her hands. She flicked her wand and it started to play.

_I don't want another heartbreak  
I don't need another turn to cry, no  
I don't want to learn the hard way  
Baby hello, oh no, goodbye  
But you got me like a rocket  
Shooting straight across the sky_

It' s the way you love me  
It's a feeling like this  
It's centripical motion  
It's perpetual bliss  
It's that pivotal moment  
It's, ah, impossible  
This kiss, this kiss, unstoppable  
This kiss, this kiss

Cinderella said to Snow White  
"How does love get so off course, oh  
All I wanted was a white knight  
With a good heart, soft touch, fast horse  
Ride me off into the sunset  
Baby I'm forever yours"

It's the way you love me  
It's a feeling like this  
It's centripical motion  
It's perpetual bliss  
It's that pivotal moment  
It's, ah unthinkable  
This kiss, this kiss, unsinkable  
This kiss, this kiss

You can kiss me in the moonlight  
On the rooftop under the sky, oh  
You can kiss me with the windows open  
While the rain comes pouring inside, oh  
Kiss me in sweet slow motion  
Let's let everything slide  
You got me floating, you got me flying

It's the way you love me  
It's a feeling like this  
It's centripical motion  
It's perpetual bliss  
It's that pivotal moment  
It's, ah subliminal  
This kiss, this kiss, it's criminal  
This kiss, this kiss

It's the way you love me baby  
It's the way you love me, darlin', yeah

It's the way you love me  
It's a feeling like this  
It's centripical motion  
It's perpetual bliss  
It's that pivotal moment  
It's, ah subliminal  
This kiss, this kiss, it's criminal  
This kiss, this kiss

It's the way you love me baby  
It's the way you love me darlin', yeah

It's the way you love me  
It's a feeling like this  
It's centripical motion  
It's perpetual bliss

The room started dancing to the song. Even Albus and Minerva were shaking it for the rest of the group who all laughed and applauded.

"I guess that is one more song for our collection then," said Harry. "Who sings it?"

"Faith Hill," said Hermione. "She is in the first song you danced to as well."

"It seems her music pretty much describes our relationship," said Harry to Draco who nodded.

"It sure does Lover," he said.

AUTHOR'S NOTE – Ok I can't resist adding love songs to a love story. If you all want me to quit just let me know. Trust me when I say that I am choosing the songs very carefully. Please keep sending me those wonderful reviews.


	10. Hermione's Wish

DISCLAIMER – Harry Potter and its affiliates are the sole property of JK Rowling.

DISCLAIMER – This story is a gay slash between Harry and Draco. If you are uncomfortable with gay rights, or homosexual innuendos, then I humbly ask that you not embarrass yourself or me by reading further than this line. Thank you for your understanding.

NOTE – Thank you all for the wonderful reviews. The first seven chapters of this novel have broken many personal records for me. With well over 2000 readers, it is by far becoming the favorite of many readers. For this, I thank you with every ounce of my being. It is fans like you that make writing this story a joy. Once more I will comment that you will see a few of the key elements from my first trilogy in this story. Those elements received such high remarks last time that I will be brushing them with this story.

**Chapter 10 – Hermione's Wish**

Albus stood up to leave the room.

"Where are you going?" asked Harry. "I was under the impression that we were going to go and get the Horcrux that is here in the castle."

"We will Harry," said Albus with a smile. "I am going get the Sword of Godric Gryffindor so that we can use it to destroy the Horcrux."

"Oh please," said Harry with a sigh. "For a man that is so wise, you sure have dumb moments every now and then."

"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Albus in mild shock.

"ACCIO GODRIC'S SWORD," said Harry raising his hand.

They watched as the normal summoning spell slightly changed. Instead of the sword flying through the castle and Harry having to catch it, it just materialized in his waiting hand.

"Oh," said Albus. "I guess I did forget that you could do things like that here in the castle."

"That's just senility setting in," said Harry as the rest of the people present burst into peals of laughter.

"Really," said Albus pretending to frown, but failing miserably. "You may have a point there. It is my wish that someone points out the same thing to you when you reach my age."

"I don't know," said Harry pretending to ponder. "I think I will be better off."

The rest of the room by this time, were howling with laughter. The fun that these two men were having with each other was a pleasure to watch. Albus laughed just as hard as the rest. Leave it to Harry to lift the spirits of the rest of the group after the fright that had occurred. When everyone was finished and wiping tears from their eyes, Harry stood and helped Draco to his feet.

"Shall we head to the seventh floor and destroy a part of Voldemort?" he asked.

The group all pulled themselves together and followed Harry out of the door. Every once in awhile a chuckle could be heard from someone as they remembered the banter. Once they were on the seventh floor, Harry walked past the blank wall. Immediately the door appeared. They all entered the room.

"Spread out and search for the Diadem," said Albus. "What ever you do, do not touch it. If you find it send up green sparks."

The group all nodded and spread out into teams. Each team chose a path and made their way down the tunnel searching for the ancient artifact. Harry grabbed Draco and planted a passionate kiss on his lips.

"Not that I am complaining," said Draco when the kiss was over. "But shouldn't we be looking for the Diadem?"

Harry laughed and grabbed Draco by the hand and led him by the hand down their section. About an hour later, Filius and Luna sent up green sparks. They had found the Diadem. Harry and Draco hurried to where they were located. Shortly after, the rest of the group made it to the location.

"Harry," said Albus. "Give me the sword. When I say go, levitate the Diadem. I will cut it in half with the sword and it will die. I am sorry that we have to destroy such a marvelous artifact, but it is the only way to kill the Horcrux."

Harry nodded and handed the sword to Dumbledore. He lifted his hands and concentrated on the Diadem. He could feel the power of the Horcrux battering at his shields. Harry blocked it and slowly the Diadem rose in the air. Albus swung the sword and severed the Diadem in half. A scream of anger and defeat sounded from the Diadem. Black ooze similar to blood flowed from the ancient relic. Harry picked up the pieces and looked curiously at them.

"Maybe there is something on Rowena's diary that will tell me how to make another one," said Harry.

"You have Rowena's diary?" asked Albus with curiosity on his face.

"It is more like a Book of Shadows," said Harry. "I found one from each of the founders in the Potter vault when we went to the bank."

"Where are those books now?" asked Albus with something akin to fright in his voice.

"In my room," said Harry looking at Albus with curiosity. "They are in my bag along with the swords of the other founders."

"The other founders had swords?" asked Severus with interest.

"Yes apparently they all were made by the same goblin," said Harry becoming totally confused. "Why are you all acting so odd?"

"Let's go back to the Potter Dorm and I will explain it to you all," said Albus.

Harry led the group out of the room of requirement. He had a sudden idea and turned back to the door. He placed his hands on the door and quietly spoke to the castle.

"Please do not allow any students in this room," he said. "Those that were in the room with us today are an exception. Allow no other student to enter this room."

"That is good thinking Harry," said Albus. "There are a lot of harmful things in there."

"Maybe we can do a weekend project of getting all of that trash and old stuff out of there," said Harry. "This way we can dispose of all trash and items that are dangerous."

"Another great idea," said Albus. "For now let us head back to the common room."

Together they followed the rest of the group back to the common room. Once again all of the students sat at their allotted desks, and the assembled staff sat on the couches.

"First off," said Albus. "Let us look at the swords of the other three founders. This is the first time we have heard of them all having a sword."

Harry pulled the swords out of his bag and handed them one by one to Albus who placed them on the table in the center of the room. When Harry was done, Albus started twirling his wand muttering spells on the swords. Nothing seemed to happen, so Albus relaxed. He picked each one up and examined it closely with a well trained eye.

"These swords are indeed a rare find," said Albus. "Tell me, why did you seek them out?"

"I figured that if we combined the might of all of the swords that it would help us in the battle with Voldemort," said Harry watching the group shudder at the use of the name. "Ok folks. Enough is enough. We are the Army of the Light. When are you all going to stop shuddering at the made up name of Tom Riddle. It is time that we got used to saying it. Fear of the name is what is giving fear to the object. I don't see any one of you shudder when we say Grindelwald. He was a very dark wizard. So I want each and every one of you to say the name Voldemort. Trust me when I tell you that saying his name will not strike you dead. He is a human just like the rest of us and can be killed just like the rest of us. We are only as powerful as the unity, trust, and love we provide for one another."

"Very well said," remarked Albus with a twinkle in his eye. "I agree with your words fully."

Harry listened as Draco said Voldemort. Hermione and Severus were quick to follow. Albus and Minerva said the name. Soon everyone in the room said the name.

"You see," said Harry. "You said his name and you are still alive."

Smiles broke out around the room. Draco leaned over and kissed Harry on the cheek.

"Well done lover," he whispered in Harry's ear. "Remind me to award you later."

Harry blushed all the way to the roots of his hair at the remark. It was enough to cause the rest of the group to break out in mild laughter.

"Harry if you would be so kind," said Dumbledore. "Please show us the Book of Shadows for each of the founders."

Harry pulled out the four heavy tomes and placed them on his desk.

"You do realize that people would kill someone to get their hands on these books," remarked Albus thumbing through the pages of Godric's book. "There are some highly powerful spells in here as well as things that could cause problems if these books were to land in the wrong hands."

"That is why I plan on making sure that they are under lock and key," said Harry. "I will create a display case using some very powerful wards on them so that no one can get to these books without my specific permission. I will be the only one to be able to open the case to retrieve the books. No offense Albus, but not even you will have access to these books if you are not in my presence."

"A very wise choice," said Severus. "We all know that you would never abuse the power that these books hold. Therefore, I support your decision on this."

Slowly the rest of the staff got a glimpse of what was in the books and gave their approval to Harry's idea.

"This will mean that the books will never be out of Draco's and my bedroom unless you are sitting here in the dorm to read them," said Harry.

Albus beamed in delight at the idea. Without giving it a second thought, he gave his approval as well.

"Is this why you wanted the sword of Godric?" he asked placing it on the table with the other three.

"A matching set," said Harry. "I can take a few of you down to the Chamber of Secrets and we can harvest the basilisk for potion ingredients. We can imbibe the rest of the swords with the venom. I will be doing the same for the two new swords that are coming soon."

"Two new swords?" asked Severus.

"Yes," said Harry. "I am having the goblins make a pair of swords for Draco and me."

"Why?" asked Minerva.

"It is the one thing that I will indulge myself on as the heir of all four founders," said Harry. "You all know that I do not like to flaunt my wealth or power in people's faces. However, I wanted to make my mark as the heir of the four founders of Hogwarts. Am I wrong for that?"

"Why shouldn't you," said Pomona. "You are the first and only person to have ever been an heir to all four founders before. You are generous with your inheritance. You give so much of yourself to the community. You have a constant fear of someone in this school getting hurt because of Voldemort. You are the most unselfish person that I have ever known. I say congratulations for doing it."

The room was echoed as the rest of the staff and Team Potter agreed with her statements.

"So what will be on the blade of the new swords?" asked Severus.

"Harry and Draco Potter," he replied.

"There you have it," said Pomona. "Even when you are doing something for yourself you are unselfish enough to think of someone else."

Harry grinned at this comment.

"I am glad that you all feel that way," he said. "My sword will have a ruby like Godric's as it is my birth stone. Draco's will have a pearl as it is his birthstone. I would like to imbibe all of the swords with basilisk venom. That way they can all be used to kill a Horcrux."

"Very nice thinking," said Albus. "You are searching for something else aren't you?"

"As a matter of fact," said Harry. "I am. I am thinking that the wands of the founders are somewhere in this castle. If we can find them, then we have even more tools to fight the forces of dark with."

Albus got up and walked to a portion of the wall that didn't have anything on it. He waved his wand and four display cases appeared mounted in the spot. From there he lifted the sword of Godric and placed it into the case that had the burgundy background. Severus stood up and picked up the sword of Slytherin and placed it into the case with the green back ground. Filius then proceeded to place the sword of Ravenclaw in the blue display case. Pomona stood and placed Helga's in the black display case. Minerva rose and created two more display cases next to the first four. One had a silver background and the other had a gold one.

"These will be for the two new swords," she stated.

"My wish is that we stay united forever," said Hermione. "I wish that each and every one of us will always love and care for one another no matter what this war or life has to throw at us. It is also my wish that were something to happen to me that I be buried here on the grounds of Hogwarts."

She stood in the center of the room and held her hand out palm down. Harry and Draco walked over and placed their hands on top of hers. Everyone started crowding in to place their hands on top of theirs. There were tears in the eyes of many that were standing there.

When they all made themselves comfortable, they started talking about the cleaning of the Room of Requirement. It was then that they noticed that Kreacher had arrived.

"Master," said Kreacher bowing to Albus. "The locket has been stolen from my hiding place. The thief Mundungus Fletcher stole it. I have lost his trail."

"Don't worry about it," said Harry speaking to the elf. "We can send people out to find him."

Kreacher looked at Harry and gave him a bow of respect. This was the first time he had done so without a rude comment, and it surprised many who were standing there.

------

The school year was getting well underway. The other professors no longer needed to sit in Harry's classes. He was a well liked and admired professor. He was fair and just and did not look at the insignia on the robes. Harry did not care who belonged to what house. If the person was breaking the rules, he docked points. If the person did an extraordinary job on something he awarded them. It was not long, before DADA was the favorite class of the school. Harry demonstrated as much as he lectured. Before they knew it, time had passed and the Christmas holidays were upon them. There would not be a Yule ball this year. However as a special treat, there was an additional Hogsmeade visit. Harry was sitting at his desk making a list of the people he was going to buy presents for. He looked up at the wall across from him and saw the six gleaming blades. The group had made their way to the Chamber of Secrets. They did a lot of cleaning and repairing as they went. It was here that Harry had his first stoke of luck. While he was standing on the head of Salazar's statue, he noticed a fissure in the stone. He worked with it until he was able to open it. There was a secret compartment in it. Lying inside was none other than Salazar's wand. Harry had brought the wand to Ollivander who confirmed that the wand was in fact Slytherin's.

"Ten inches," said the wand maker. "It is Yew wood with the core of basilisk venom. If I were you, I would guard this wand with your very life. If the Dark Lord ever gets his hands on this wand, I have no doubt he would use it to create further havoc."

Harry pulled himself out of his thoughts and glanced once more at the parchment. After carefully reviewing his list of ideas, he rolled it up and placed it in the pocket of his robe. Harry stood up. He was due to meet the rest of the group that had remained at Hogwarts at the entrance hall. He quickly apparated to the rendezvous point and waited patiently for the rest of the group to join him. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Draco, Severus, and Minerva all joined him in the entrance. They all latched hands, and then Harry apparated the group to Diagon Alley. It was arranged that they would all meet at the Leaky Cauldron at noon for lunch. Harry's first visit was the jewelers shop. For the girls in the dorm he bought each one of them a diamond necklace. For the guys, he bought them all a thick silver chain. For Ron he bought him a gold necklace with a lion on it. For Draco, he bought a platinum ring that was custom made to Harry's specifications. The band of the ring was a serpent. In its mouth it was holding an emerald. The eyes of the snake were made of onyx. From there he went to Ollivanders where he bought a wand holster for every member of Team Potter. He went to the Owl Emporium and bought a male snowy owl for the Dursleys. This way, they could get messages back and forth between them and Harry easier. He bought all of the necessary equipment to go with it. He bought each of the Heads of House a pendant that had their house emblem. For Hagrid he bought him his own mating pair of Abraxan horses. Albus was his biggest issue. He did not know what to get the Head Master. A sudden idea hit him. He went to the clothing store and told the salesperson Albus' measurements. When Harry left, he had purchased Albus quite a few slacks and shirts. Harry glanced down at his list again. He had one more person to buy for. He thought long and hard about what to get this person. He had already purchased something for all of the Weasleys. The staff and Team Potter were taken care of. His blood relatives were taken care of as well. What should he get his future mother in law? He knew from Draco that she wished to travel the world when Voldemort was destroyed. Harry looked over and spotted the ideal thing. Rushing across the street, he bought her the most expensive set of luggage the store had to offer. Harry was greatly relieved that the stores all did gift wrapping. He would have been at it for hours. When Harry had his shopping done he headed back to the Leaky Cauldron. He passed by a store that sold quilts. He entered the shop and had a sudden inspiration. He ordered a quilt with the Hogwarts Crest on it for every single house elf in the castle. He waved his wand and gave the store keeper a list of the names for each elf. He asked her to embroider their names on their quilts. She vowed to have it finished well before Christmas and watched as he signed the ticket. Owls were flying left and right as Harry had the purchases delivered to the castle where Dobby and Winky were waiting with a dozen elves to sort through the packages and put them in the appropriate section. There was a huge Christmas tree in the corner of the dorm. It was rapidly filling with packages. The other members of the dorm were sending their packages in as well. Harry entered the pub and was greeted by Tom. He told him that he needed a table for seven and told him who to watch out for. As the noon hour approached the group started assembling. Harry bought them all lunch and they chatted happily about their purchases. A few like Harry had bought something special for the house elves. Dobby and Winky would have just as many gifts under the tree as everyone else. When lunch was over, the group made their way back to Hogwarts. The shoppers all headed for their rooms.

Harry sat at his desk as he watched Dobby and Winky supervise the stacking of the packages. Kreacher came into the dorm and walked over to Harry. He gave Harry a low bow and launched into his tale.

"Master Harry," said Kreacher. "I have located the thief Mundungus Fletcher. I would like permission to bring him here for questioning."

"Bring him to the Great Hall," said Harry. "Bind him if you have to, just keep him from leaving. Dobby, send a couple of house elves to Severus and Minerva. Albus probably already knows. Draco and I will meet everyone in the Great Hall.

Kreacher gave Harry another bow and popped away. Dobby left the tree and headed to send word to the other professors for Harry. Harry entered his bedroom and told Draco what was going on. Together the men left the dorm and headed to the Great Hall. Hermione was in there sitting with a younger student she was tutoring when Harry and Draco entered.

"Incoming Hermione," said Harry. "Kreacher has finally caught Mundungus."

Hermione moved her student nearer the far wall. She gave a few whispered instructions and then joined Harry and Draco. Severus and Minerva joined them soon after. Albus was not long in following. A few moments later, Kreacher popped in dragging a yelling Mundungus. Kreacher produced a frying pan and whacked him over the head with it.

"What is the world is going on here," shouted Mundungus as Kreacher made to hit him again. "Call off this bleeding house elf, will you."

"Kreacher," said Albus in amusement. "That will do for now."

"Why have you had this elf trailing me Albus?" asked Mundungus. "I aint did nothing wrong."

"We have a few questions for you about the things you stole from MY house," said Harry. "If you do not tell me the truth or if I even think you are withholding information I will let Kreacher hit you again."

"Thank you Master Harry," said Kreacher bowing and then glaring at Mundungus.

"What do you want to know?" asked Mundungus.

"There was an egg shaped locket that you stole from Kreacher's bedroom," said Harry. "What have you done with it? I want it back."

"Can't," said Mundungus. "I don't have it anymore. Woman practically forced me to give it to her."

"Who?" asked Albus quickly. "Who has the locket now?"

"Some ministry woman," said Mundungus. "Looks like a toad."

"UMBRIDGE," shouted Harry. "THAT BITCH HAS MY PROPERTY."

Draco quickly wrapped his arms around Harry and kissed him on the lips effectively stopping his rampage. When he was sure that Harry had calmed down, he released him.

"Stay calm lover," he said. "We will get it back. She still has to go to trial for what she did to you last year. That is coming up in January."

"For now it would be nothing to have her arrested again for purchasing stolen goods," said Albus. "Mundungus if I catch you in Number 12 again when I am not there, I will have you arrested for theft. As it is you have exactly one month to recover all of the stolen goods you took while in the house from the time Sirius died until the present."

"Yes Albus," said Mundungus taking a good look at the fury that was on Albus' face. "I will get right on it. Can I go now?"

"In a moment," said Harry. "Kreacher you may beat him senseless."

"Thank you Master Harry," said Kreacher.

The house elf ran at the thief brandishing his frying pan and beat Mundungus across the head and anywhere else that he could reach all the way to the gates of Hogwarts. Harry had a pleased smile on his face when Kreacher came back looking extremely pleased with himself.

"Who says house elves are not handy," said Draco with a laugh. "That was a good use of a frying pan."

Kreacher stood there with a happy smile on his face. The rest of the group had started to laugh.

"Harry," said Albus a few minutes later. "How about we go and get back your property?"

"That is a good idea," said Harry. "I will be ready to leave in a couple of moments. I will meet you in your office."

Albus nodded and left the hall. The rest of the professors all smiled as Harry grabbed Draco and pulled him close. They left the hall and Hermione went back to her tutoring. Harry gazed into the eyes of Draco. The love and compassion that was there never ceased to amaze Harry. The love that Harry had for Draco did not diminish a bit in all the months they had been an official couple. Harry leaned over and planted a soft kiss on Draco's lips. He did not give in to his passion as he had someplace to be.

"Meet me in our room when we get back," said Harry. "I would love to pick up where we are leaving off right this moment."

"That is the best idea I have heard all day," said Draco. "I plan on tormenting you with pleasure for the rest of the day."

"I like the sound of that," said Harry releasing him. "We will be back as soon as we can. I love you."

"I love you too," said Draco stepping back. "Come home as soon as you can."

Harry smiled once more for his beloved and headed up the stairs to Albus' office. When he arrived, the door was open and Albus was standing in front of the fireplace throwing some floo powder in the fire. Harry entered at Albus' wave and proceeded to step into the fire. He called out the Ministry of Magic and within moments he and Albus were in the Atrium. They were met by a couple of the senior Aurors. Albus quickly outlined what was going on and Scrimgeour led them to the office of Delores Umbridge. Her door was open. She was poring over a document in her hands and was not paying attention to who was going by her door. She looked up when she realized that Albus, Harry, and the Head of the Auror Department entered her office.

"What is the meaning of this," she asked. "Why are you disturbing me Professor Dumbledore?"

"It would appear that you have appropriated stolen goods," said Albus sternly.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," she said trying to tuck the locket under her robes.

"Then why are you trying to hide my locket," said Harry pointing at her hand.

"Again I say I do not know what you are talking about," she insisted. "How dare you say that my locket is yours? It has been in my family for generations."

"Really now," said Harry starting to name her relatives all the way back to Helga and Rowena. "I apparently was not aware that you were a descendant of Salazar Slytherin."

"So what if I am," she snapped back. "YOU are an ungrateful brat. Get out of my office Potter. You have no business here."

"I would advise you to shut up," said Rufus. "They are here with a specific claim. You have no authority to send them anywhere. I will hear what Harry Potter has to say before I make my decision as to whether I will place you under arrest. Please continue Harry."

"I have read a book that has given me the family tree of every wizard in the country," said Harry. "The locket that she is claiming is her birth right is a lie. That locket was owned by Salazar Slytherin. It has his mark on it. I have told you her family tree. She is not a descendant of Salazar Slytherin. Mundungus Fletcher has already told us that she bought the locket from him after he stole it from Number 12 Grimmauld Place. As a descendant and heir of Slytherin, I demand that my property be returned to me."

"YOU LIE," screeched Umbridge. "This is not Salazar's locket. I will be making a formal complaint against you Harry Potter. You may have most of the Ministry on your side, but you are far from innocent. Need I remind you of all the trouble you caused in my class while I was a professor at Hogwarts?"

"You mean all of the truths that you punished me for?" asked Harry holding up his right hand where the words _I must not tell lies_ could still be seen.

"Madam Umbridge," said Rufus smoothly. "I would like to examine the locket. If it is as you say, I will return it to you. If in fact Harry is telling the truth, then you will be arrested for possession of stolen goods."

"If I refuse?" she said with a sneer.

"Then I will arrest you anyway and take the locket from you forcefully," said Rufus.

"You wouldn't dare," she said pulling out her wand.

"I would not do that if I were you," said Amelia coming into the room. "You are hereby under arrest for theft. You are herby under arrest for attempting to threaten the Head of the Auror's office. Head Master, please take the locket in question from around her neck. Rufus grab and snap her wand."

Both men complied with her wishes. Deloris stood there with a shocked expression on her face as her wand was snapped cleanly in two. Albus looked at the locket and nodded his head.

"It is indeed the locket of Salazar Slytherin," he pronounced. "As such, it is the property of Professor Potter. This was part of the things that was taken from his former property Number 12 Grimmauld Place. That location is currently under my ownership."

"May I see the locket?" asked Amelia. "Proof from Rufus and I will solidify your claim."

Albus handed her the locket. Both she and Rufus recognized Slytherin's mark at once. Amelia turned and handed the locket to Harry.

"Professor Potter," she said. "As Minister of Magic, it is my privilege to return your property to you."

"Thank you Minister," said Harry accepting the locket and handing it to Albus.

The older wizard held the locket by the chain. Harry pulled out his sword to the awe and amazement of the three Ministry officials. From there, Harry commanded the locket to open using parseltongue. Once the locket had opened, Harry swung his sword in a wide arc and caught the locket across both faces. The locket cried out in agony as it died.

"What in the world was that?" asked Amelia in shock staring at the locket in Albus' hand.

"That would be a Horcrux," said Albus. "Harry's sword is imbibed with basilisk venom. Basilisk venom is one of the few things that can destroy a Horcrux. Surely you remember the letter I sent to you."

"Now that you mention it," said Amelia. "I do remember you telling me about this. Harry, may I look at your sword?"

"Of course Minister," said Harry handing it to her carefully.

"Where did you get this?" she asked.

"I had the Goblins of Gringotts make me a pair," said Harry pointing to the names on the blade. "They were more than willing to assist me on that."

"It is a beautiful weapon," she said handing it back. "Is the other identical?"

"The gem at the bottom of Draco's is a pearl," said Harry with a fond smile at the sword.

"Very nice," said Rufus holding out his hand for the sword.

"Thanks," said Harry handing him the weapon. "I am rather proud of the end result."

Delores was attempting to leave the office while the quartet was talking. As she made it to the door, Harry hit her with a stunner.

Amelia and Rufus looked at Harry in amazement. Not only had he not used a wand, but he had not uttered a single word.

"Nicely done Harry," said Rufus. "Are you sure I can't talk you into becoming an Auror?"

"Quite sure," said Harry smiling. "I enjoy teaching to much. If you will excuse us, we have to get back to the castle."

Rufus nodded and handed him his sword back. Harry grabbed Albus by the arm and apparated the pair back to Hogwarts. Harry called for Kreacher. When the elf appeared, Harry showed him the locket.

"You quest is complete," said Harry. "The locket Regulus asked you to destroy is now destroyed."

"Thank you Master Harry," said Kreacher bowing.

"This is for you," said Harry placing the locket around his neck. "This way you will always have a part of Regulus with you."

The elf bowed low while tears fell from his eyes. Albus watched the scene with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. Harry patted the elf gently on the arm and made his way back to his room. He had a date to keep.

Harry walked in to his room and looked around in anticipation. He and Draco had changed the décor to accommodate both of them. Instead of burgundy velvet curtains surrounding the bed, there were now black velvet ones. A silver comforter made of the same material covered the bed. Lying in the middle of the bed was a totally naked Draco. Harry quickly closed the door and started taking his clothes off as he headed for the bed. He climbed next to Draco and surrendered his will to his passion. True to Draco's words, he tormented Harry for hours with pleasure. This had been a very busy day. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve. Narcissa would arrive in the morning and stay for the rest of the holiday. The Dursleys would also be arriving and stay for the holidays. This would be the first Christmas that Harry truly waited eagerly for. He fell asleep with his head on Draco's chest. Draco had already nodded off. Christmas carols could be heard playing from the floating CD.

AUTHOR"S NOTE – I will stop this chapter here. I am half way through the first book and I want to be able to save some fun things as well as some not so pleasant things for this book. I hope you are all enjoying this so far. Next Chapter will be Delores' trial. I look forward to writing it. Thank you in advance for your reviews.


	11. This Is My Town

DISCLAIMER – Harry Potter and its affiliates are the sole property of JK Rowling.

DISCLAIMER – This story is a gay slash between Draco and Harry. If you are uncomfortable with gay rights, or homosexual innuendos, I humbly ask you to not embarrass you are me by reading beyond this sentence. Thank you for your understanding.

NOTE – "For Love of a Slytherin" is by far your favorite story. With well over 2000 visits to the story, it is by far my most popular story. The funny thing about it is that I have only posted few chapters. Thank you all for your support and encouragement. I deeply appreciate each and every one of you.

**Chapter 11 – This is My Town**

Christmas Eve arrived and with it the relatives of both Harry and Draco. For the first time in the history of the castle, muggles would be present within its walls. Harry waited eagerly for the Dursley's to arrive. Draco was just as eager for his mother to arrive. The two young men stood side by side at the gates of the school staring down the lane. Soon a small pop could be heard and Narcissa Malfoy appeared. Harry quickly raised his hand and opened the gate. She walked with her usual regal bearing up to Draco and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek in greeting. She turned to Harry and did the same.

"Thank you both for the wonderful pictures," she said. "I am making a scrap book of the two of you. I am so glad that the two of you are so happy. All I have ever wanted in this life was for Draco to be safe and happy. Thanks to you Harry, he is both. For that you will always be considered a part of my family."

"Thank you Mother Narcissa for that," said Harry slightly red. "What I do for and give to Draco truly comes from the heart. I love him with every amount of energy I can give to him."

"Anyone looking at the two of you can see that," she said in her musical laughter.

At that moment, the Dursley's with their Auror guard appeared. Harry walked over to greet them and relieved the Auror. With a bow to Harry, the Auror departed. Harry shook hands with Vernon and Dudley, and gave his Aunt a kiss on the cheek. He escorted them to the safety perimeter of the castle grounds. From there he introduced them to Narcissa. The two women engaged in a light conversation.

"THAT is your school?" asked Dudley pointing to the castle. "It is so big."

"It is very easy to get lost in it if you are not familiar with where you are going," said Harry. "Many times Ron and I were in trouble in our first year because we got lost and ended up late for class."

Harry turned towards the castle and sent a patronus to Albus.

"What was that?" asked Vernon.

"That is called a patronus," answered Harry. "I just sent word to the Head Master that you have all arrived safely."

"It looked like a stag," said Vernon.

"My dad was a stag Animagus," explained Harry. "When Remus taught me how to produce a patronus, everyone was delighted that it took the form of my dad's Animagus form."

"I have seen that before," said Dudley. "It was the night you saved me from those things that attacked us in the alley."

"That's correct," said Harry. "The patronus is a great defense for fighting the effects of Dementors."

"So everyone's patronus is different?" asked Vernon.

"That is correct," said Draco. "My patronus is a dragon. Professor Dumbledore's patronus is a phoenix."

"Wow," said Dudley. "Can I see yours?"

Draco laughed as he took out his wand.

"Expecto Patronum," he said.

Dudley was in awe as the silver dragon flew out of Draco's wand and soared around the air. When Draco released the dragon, Dudley looked a little crestfallen.

"Come on Dudley," said a laughing Draco. "There are loads of exciting things for you to see in the castle."

Harry and Draco led their families to the castle. When they entered Harry, Draco, and Narcissa enjoyed the amazed looks on the faces of the three Dursleys. It was not long before Albus met the group.

"Welcome back to the castle Narcissa," he greeted kindly. "Welcome Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley to Hogwarts. You will be very comfortable here and very safe. Harry has strengthened the wards to ensure that your protection is a top priority."

The quartet of visitors all smiled and shook Dumbledore's hand. From there Harry and Draco led them to the dorm where they would be staying for the next few days.

"There will be a small party tonight," said Harry. "Did you all remember to bring some dress clothes?"

"Of course Harry," said Narcissa.

"We did as well Harry," said Petunia with a smile.

From there they entered the common room of the dorm. Draco led his mother to the room she would be using. Harry led his relatives to the suite that they would be using. The Dursleys were impressed with their rooms. Dobby and Winky stood in the common room ready to greet the visitors. After that was accomplished, the elves went into the rooms to hang their clothes. The Dursleys smiled at the two little elves. Their bags had been delivered earlier in the day by the house elves that were in the Manor they were staying in. They were all delighted to see that there were presents under the tree for them. Harry and Draco watched as the elves added the gifts from the Dursleys and Narcissa to the huge pile that was under the tree.

"Harry," said Narcissa. "I wanted to thank you personally for the way you have set it up for me to have money for what I need. It was nice of you to allow it to come from your own vault."

"That vault is now the property of both Draco and I," said Harry. "I could not very well leave out the mother of my beloved. Once your husband officially has no claim to the Malfoy vault, we will combine it with the Potter vault. So naturally that will increase the size of the vault."

"That is a great idea," said Narcissa. "Never the less, it was an honorable thing to do to include me in the ability to withdraw funds."

"We also appreciate your generosity in allowing us access to your money," said Petunia. "We sold the house on Privet Drive. We really love the house that you have given us."

"Mother Narcissa, Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and Dudley," said Harry. "You all are my family. I have more money than my great grandchildren and their descendants can need or want. Add the Malfoy family fortune, and you have an unlimited amount of money. Do not forget that I get paid to teach here at the school. Add interest and things like that."

"We understand Harry," said Narcissa. "We just appreciate your compassion for us is all we are saying."

"Harry were did you get these awesome swords?" asked Dudley completely unaware of the conversation.

Draco smiled and walked over. He explained each sword and its history to the group. From there he described the different attributes that each house looked for in their students.

"So what house is this?" asked Dudley.

"This is the dorm of Team Potter," said Draco with a smile. "We are the students that are responsible for assisting Harry in his endeavor to keep the school safe. Technically we are not a house."

"So you are like the elite of the school," stated Vernon.

"That is the best way of describing us," said Draco nodding. "Most of us that are in this dorm are descendants of the four founders also. So we have the power of our bloodline. It makes Harry's job easier. It also gives Harry more time for fun and recreation."

"You mean like spoiling you rotten'?" asked Harry in a teasing voice.

Petunia and Narcissa laughed. Even Vernon gave a smile. Dudley managed to find his way to the Book of Shadows of each of the founders. He went to touch the glass case. Harry was not paying close enough attention. When he realized what Dudley was doing he made to cry out, but it was too late. Dudley had already tried to open the case. He yelped as he got a shock of electricity.

"I am so sorry," said Harry rushing over to Dudley and helping him stand.

Dudley had fallen over in his surprise at the power that came from the case. He shook himself and looked to Harry.

"Had you been a wizard, you would have been knocked totally unconscious," said Draco. "Harry is the only one that can open that case without getting hurt."

"Why?" asked Petunia pulling Dudley away from the case.

"These books were written by the four most powerful wizards of the age," said Harry. "The information that is in them could cause large amounts of trouble if they fall into the wrong hands. Therefore I have them warded so that only I can open the case. Not even Draco or Professor Dumbledore can access the case. I am the only one that can open it. What surprises me is that you felt anything at all. You are not a wizard. You should not have felt anything."

"What does that mean?" asked Vernon.

"Uncle Vernon," said Harry. "Touch the case. Let us call this an experiment."

Vernon hesitantly touched the case. When nothing happened, he pulled his hand back and smiled. Harry did not say anything at first.

"Aunt Petunia," he said. "You try. Let's see if my theory is correct."

She frowned for a moment and then touched the case. She jerked her hand back quickly.

"That stung like a bee sting," she said. "Harry what is going on?"

"I should have known," said Harry. "I don't know how Albus missed this. Draco, please go and get the Head Master. I think it is time we all sit down and have a talk."

Draco kissed Harry on the cheek and left to go find Albus. Harry led the Dursleys to the couch and sat them down. Narcissa sat in a chair next to them. She was interested in hearing Harry's explanation. Harry quickly asked Petunia and Dudley to not touch anything else for the moment. Fifteen minutes later, Draco entered the room followed by Albus, Severus, and Minerva.

"What is going on Harry?" asked Albus kindly. "Draco was vague in his explanation."

"Albus," started Harry. "Did you ever think to test Dudley for signs of magical blood?"

"No Harry," said Albus with a curious look on his face. "Why do you ask?"

"He tried to open the case with the tomes from the founders and was laid flat with a shock," said Harry. "Uncle Vernon did not feel anything when he touched it, and Aunt Petunia said it felt like a bee sting when she touched it. I think that Dudley could be a wizard. After all we have the same grandparents on our mothers' side."

Albus, Severus, and Minerva all looked at each other in a calculating manner. None of them had ever thought to test the Dursleys. It was only recently discovered after all that Harry was a descendant of all four founders.

"Vernon and Petunia," said Albus turning to them. "May I test Dudley?"

Both looked stricken at first, but nodded their heads. Albus walked over to Dudley.

"This will not hurt you in the slightest," said Albus. "I want you to close your eyes. Harry will hand you his wand. When you have it, I want you to give it a wave and we shall see what happens."

Dudley nodded his head. Harry handed him his wand. Dudley lifted his arm and waved the wand. Faint sparks flew from the wand.

"Well," said Severus. "It would appear your suspicion was correct Harry."

"My son will be a wizard?" asked Vernon.

"It would appear so Uncle Vernon," said Harry. "He and I share some of the founder's blood. His sparks were faint because he was using my wand. With his own wand and proper training, he will be a very good wizard."

"What about me?" asked Petunia. "Will I be a witch like Lily was?"

Harry proceeded with the same routine that had gone on with Dudley. She was able to produce sparks, but they were so faint, that only with the trained mind could they be seen at all.

"It would appear that you carry the potential, but not the ability," said Albus. "Your magical gifts would be so weak that they would not be much use except for making your cleaning easier or something of that nature."

"But Dudley will be just like Harry," she asked in a persistent voice.

"No one is like Harry," said Albus with a chuckle. "With the proper training, Dudley will be just as powerful as Mr. Malfoy. He carries in his bloodline two of the founder's blood."

"We will train him," said Harry. "He WILL get the proper training. Hermione and I, along with Draco and a few of the others will teach him what he needs to learn. However, he doesn't have to. If he just wants to be normal, then he can stay just as he is now. What we are proposing is only if he wants it."

"I do want to learn," said Dudley. "I want to be a wizard."

"We will go and buy your supplies after the holidays then," said Harry. "I will take you personally in a few days. I will not lie and tell you it will be easy. It won't. In some areas, you will be totally blown away by what we have to learn. However it is necessary if you want to become a truly gifted and powerful wizard."

"I understand Harry," said Dudley.

"Well it is settled then," said Albus. "We will put Dudley in that extra room you had created. That way we won't have to worry about sorting and he can have access to all of his tutors. For now I suggest we all put this out of our minds. It is Christmas Eve after all. I think that you all might want to shower and change. Dinner will be early this evening, and then around nine the party will begin in the Great Hall."

Everyone nodded and headed to their rooms. Harry dragged Draco to their room. When the door was closed, Harry turned Draco and gave him a passionate kiss. Within seconds, their love and desire for one another ignited. Harry slowly undressed Draco. As each piece of clothing hit the floor, Harry bent his head and kissed that area. It was not long before Draco was moaning in pleasure. Harry stood up and quickly undressed. He led Draco to the fur rug in front of the fire place. From there the two men soared into the heights of ecstasy. When they were finished, they lay there for awhile staring into the flames of the fire.

"I wish that it will be like this for us when we are ancient old men," said Harry softly. "My love for you knows no boundaries. I love you more each day. The way you sigh in your sleep sends chills through me. The way you smile at me stops my heart. The way you hold me sends shivers down my spine. I am mesmerized each and every time you look into my eyes. I pray that this never ends."

"You have such a flattering way with words lover," whispered Draco kissing Harry gently. "You just described how I feel about you."

Harry leaned in and gave Draco another kiss. Once more their passion flared up as they made love to each other. When they were finished, both got up with a sigh and headed for the bathroom to shower and clean up. After they dried off, they entered their closet to choose what they would wear that night. For Draco, Harry chose a white suit with a sapphire blue shirt. He finished the ensemble with a silver tie and a red rose in his lapel. Not to be outdone by his lover, Draco chose for Harry, a black suit with a ruby red shirt. He completed the ensemble with a gold tie and a blue rose for his lapel. They decided to forgo the dress robes. They wanted everyone to see how wonderful their significant other was. They made their way to the jewelry box to adorn their fingers with their normal jewelry. Harry never took the silver ring with the Ruby set in it off his finger. It was a token of love from Draco and Harry would cherish it always. Draco left the room and Harry after making sure his lover was out of sight placed the box that held the rings of his mother and father into his pocket. Draco would get one gift for Christmas that would be the topper of all gifts. When Harry had the box hidden in his pocket, he left the room. Both young men took their allotted places as Hermione snapped a few pictures.

"My, what handsome men you are," said Narcissa coming out of her room with an emerald green dress of cut velvet on.

She accented the dress with diamond and emerald jewelry. She had her hair piled on top of her head in and elaborate style. Hermione placed her in the middle of Harry and Draco and took a few more pictures.

"What is going on?" asked Dudley coming out of his room with a black suit and tie on.

"Oh," said Harry with a grin. "Hermione is the president of our fan club."

Everyone had a laugh as Hermione slapped him behind the head. However, she too was laughing along with the others. Petunia came out followed by Vernon. Like Dudley, Vernon wore a black suit and tie. Petunia had on a soft blue gown. She accentuated the dress with pearl jewelry. Hermione had Harry and his relatives stand together. Then she had both families stand together.

"Make sure I get copies of these please," said Petunia. "I enjoy the ones we get from time to time.

"I also want copies," said Narcissa. "I love seeing my son with his beloved."

Vernon offered is arm to Narcissa as Dudley offered his arm to his mother. Both women curtsied slightly and accepted the pro offered arm. Harry offered his arm to Draco, and they left to go to the Great Hall. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny followed behind smiling. When they got to the great hall, they were met by the other students and staff. There were whispers about Harry's relatives. However the talk of the evening was the beauty of Harry and Draco. Albus and Minerva worked hard to make the Great Hall an elaborate dining experience. They created one huge round table where all staff, students, and relatives could sit together. Arthur and Molly Wesley arrived shortly after. Both would be staying the night in the castle. Soft music played in the back ground as the diners ate their dinner. Every now and then, a chuckle could be heard as someone noticed the way that Harry and Draco were looking at each other. As Severus said, no one really cared that Harry and Draco were a couple. If anyone had anything negative to say about their relationship, there was any number of students that would effectively shut them up. Madam Pomfrey worked hard for awhile as students who were opposed to the relationship ended up in the medical ward with odd ailments. The problem was that their sub doers were so careful that it was not known who hexed the trouble makers. Harry and Draco were so into each other that neither had a clue about what was happening behind their backs. After awhile those that did have a problem with Harry and Draco wisely kept it to themselves.

When dinner was over and the dishes were cleared, Albus and Minerva cleared the table and made smaller ones around the Great Hall. The music was turned up slightly for the purpose of dancing. No one got up at first. Harry looked around and then he stood up. He offered his hand to Draco who took it hesitantly. This would be the first time that they did something like this in the eye of the public and out of the safety of their dorm. Harry pulled Draco into a soft embrace and the couple started a slow dance. There was applause at this gesture. Dudley got up and asked his mother to dance. She giggled as she accepted. He moved her onto the dance floor. Vernon asked Narcissa if she would like to dance. She accepted with the poise of her status. Soon after, the floor was filled with couples. Some were of the same gender, and others were just old friends enjoying the mood. Other songs played. Some were waltzes, others were fast paced songs. Harry and Draco graciously danced with others. Narcissa and Draco made a striking couple. The highlight of the dancing was when Severus asked Harry to dance. There was laughter at this. However both men got up and did a slow dance.

"Hey now," called Draco as Severus astounded the group my flirting with Harry as a joke. "No fair moving in on my territory."

Laughter rang out at this. Harry had already talked with Severus. Severus knew exactly what Harry had planned for the evening. As the couples sat around the dance floor chatting amongst each other, Harry knew that his time to shine had come. He stood up and pulled Draco into the middle of the floor.

"I have an announcement to make," said Harry drawing the eyes of everyone to him. "Each of you present, knows how much Draco and I love each other. We are soul bound to one another. Therefore I would like to give Draco an early Christmas present."

Harry pulled the box out of his pocket. He got down on one knee and took Draco's hand.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy," he said with tears in his eyes. "Would you do me the honors of marrying me?"

There wasn't a sound to be heard from the assembled group. Harry took his mother's wedding ring out of the box and held it up hopefully to Draco. Draco grabbed Harry by the chin and lifted his head until they were looking each other in the eye. As his tears started to fall, he took the ring and placed it on his finger.

"Yes, Harry James Potter," he said. "I would be honored to marry you."

It was then that there was a thunderous applause that erupted through the Great Hall. Colin Creevey and Hermione were snapping pictures like crazy. Harry took his father's ring and handed it to Draco. Draco took the ring and placed it on Harry's finger marking them officially engaged. Everyone swarmed over to the couple with congratulations. Petunia and Narcissa stood back and waited. Dudley was a little confused as to what was going on. No one had bothered to tell him that Harry was gay. He looked at Harry's face and realized that Harry was healthier and happier than he had ever seen him. Dudley shrugged his shoulders and smiled. If this is what made Harry happy, then he would give him his full support.

"When would you like to get married?" asked Minerva wiping tears from her eyes.

"We would like to get married on the first day after the end of the school year," said Harry. "I was wondering if Ron would like to be my best man and Hermione would like to me my bridesmaid."

"Oh," squealed Hermione. "I would be honored to stand for you Harry."

"So would I," said Ron.

Molly meanwhile walked over to Narcissa and Petunia and the three women put their heads together.

"Would you do me the honor of being my best man?" asked Draco turning to Severus. "I would also be honored if Ginny would be my bridesmaid."

"You did not even need to ask," said Severus struggling to maintain his composure. "If this is what I can do to assist you in being happy, then I will do it."

"I am so flattered that you asked me to be your bridesmaid," said Ginny reaching up and kissing Draco on the cheek. "I can't wait for the wedding. Who are you going to ask to perform the ceremony?"

Harry and Draco looked at each other. Without needing to say a word both young men understood the intention of the other. They turned to Albus.

"Would you do that honor?" asked Harry with Draco nodding in agreement. "It would mean so much to us if you were the one to make out marriage official."

"Harry and Draco," said Albus. "The two of you are like the sons I never had. It would be MY honor to perform the ceremony for you."

Both Harry and Draco walked over and hugged the old wizard. Albus beamed at both as he patted them on the cheek. When they turned around, he shocked them by pinching both on the ass. They whirled around in shock to see Albus red in the face with laughter. Both young men decided to give him a taste of his own medicine. One at a time they grabbed Albus by the face and kissed him full on the lips. The rest of the assembled group roared with laughter.

"That's what you get for being a dirty old man," said Harry through his laughter.

Albus laughed along with the rest of the group. That was when Harry noticed that the three matriarchs of the families had their heads together.

"Just what are you three plotting over there?" asked Harry.

"We are going to organize the wedding," said Molly. "So butt out and let us work."

"I guess she told you," said Dudley laughing at the look on Harry's face.

"I guess she did," said Harry with a laugh. "Well lover, I guess we will have a wedding that will top all weddings with those three on the case."

"I don't know much about your Aunt or Mother Weasley, but I do know my mother will pull out all the stops on this," said Draco. "Thank goodness we have such a large bank account."

"Oh that reminds me," said Albus. "You won your case Draco. Your father will not gain access to the Malfoy vault. Now that the trial is done, your vault is currently being combined with the Potter vault. Congratulations."

Harry grabbed Draco and planted a deep kiss on the lips of the keeper of his heart. It was during this kiss that trouble started.

Harry was just releasing Draco when the first boom hit the side of the castle. Harry and Draco raced to the windows. Arranged in a semi circle were two giants, a couple of werewolves, and Lucius Malfoy.

"How in the hell did he get out of jail again?" asked Draco angrily.

Albus, Harry, and the rest of the assembled party were already in action.

"Mother Narcissa, take my family to the dorm and keep watch over them for me," said Harry taking charge of the situation. "Mother Molly, please go with them. Arthur you go with Severus to the top off the school and start aiming at the giants. Albus and Minerva you work on the ground level doing the same thing. Filius I need you and Pomona to go after one of the werewolves. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny, you go after the other werewolf. Please be careful. Draco and I will go after Lucius."

Everyone nodded to Harry and set off in different areas.

"Wait," said Harry halting everyone. "Accio, the six swords."

One by one the swords appeared in Harry's hands. He handed Slytherin's blade to Severus. Gryffindor's blade went to Minerva. Rowena's blade went to Hermione. Helga's blade went to Hagrid. Draco had his sword, and Harry had his.

"The rest of you, stay here in case we need help," said Harry. What ever you do, do NOT get directly involved with this fight."

When Harry was done, he and Draco rushed out of the Great Hall. Another boom sounded as a giant threw a boulder at the castle. Those that were following Harry soon spread out behind him. Spells soon flew back and forth as the defenders of Hogwarts tried to bring down the invaders. Harry noticed that one of the werewolves was none other than Fenrin Greyback. Harry was torn as to which he wanted to take down more. The decision was soon taken out of his hands. Fenrin charged the group. He was determined to hurt one of the defenders. Harry turned on the spot and apparated directly in front of him effectively stopping his charge. Draco and his father were already locked in a duel. Hagrid and Albus raced after the giant that was throwing boulders at the castle. Minerva was firing spells at the other one trying to keep it occupied. Filius and Pomona engaged the other werewolf. No one noticed the beautiful woman in the emerald green dress appear in the entranceway of the castle. She observed the scene before her.

Harry had never tried to be an Animagus before. He had not had the time to take the classes. With the DADA classes on top of the DA classes, Harry had been very busy. He read the books that explained what to do. He concentrated hard on the first animal he could think of. With a stinging sensation, Harry transformed into a lion. Fenrin stopped in his tracks confused as to what had just happened. Harry engaged him in hand to hand combat. The two battled back and forth over the grounds. What Harry lacked in experience, he made up for in intelligence and brute strength. After about an hour, Fenrin decided he had enough. He turned to flee, and Harry jumped on him. He shifted back into his human form, and placed the Harry and Draco Potter Sword to his throat.

"Surrender or die," said Harry through gritted teeth.

"I surrender," said the werewolf.

Harry quickly conjured magical manacles and placed them on him. From there Harry looked around. Hagrid and Albus had managed to bring down one of the giants. Hermione and Ron had assisted Minerva in bringing down the other giant. Filius and Pomona were just bringing down the other werewolf with Ginny's help. So far everyone was ok. Harry looked towards Draco. He and Lucius were still in a battle. Draco looked worn out. Harry quickly signaled to Severus to keep an eye on Fenrin and then rushed to Draco's assistance.

"You think you can beat me you traitorous brat?" asked Lucius. "You are no match for me. I will crush you like I should have done when you denied the Dark Lord."

"You will not win," said Draco panting with the effort to keep his father back. "Harry and I will beat you every time."

"Harry and I?" said Lucius with a sneer. "You act like you are in love with Potter. The Dark Lord will eventually destroy Potter and from there he will bring down the rest of this rag tag army of Dumbledore's."

"I AM in love with Harry," said Draco to the astonishment of Lucius. "He and I are engaged to get married. There is nothing you can do about it."

"Do you want to make a bet little boy?" asked Lucius. "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Two shouts could be heard as those words left Lucius' mouth. Harry threw his sword at the spell. Draco meanwhile used a trick from Harry's book and shouted the Stunning Spell at the same time. Harry's sword got his by both spells. The Killing Curse made the sword glow green for a moment, while the stunning spell rebounded off of the blade and hit Draco. The Sword landed point first in the ground as Draco crashed to the ground with cries from outrage from a few people. Narcissa watched as Harry raced to intervene. She knew that he would not get there in time to prevent her husband from killing her son. She watched as Harry deflected the first killing curse with that wonderful sword of his. She acted on pure instinct. She would make a mark in this battle. Lucius was already raising his wand to cast another Killing Curse. She lifted her wand and sent a stunner at her husband. It collided with his next Killing Curse. This gave Harry ample time to engage Lucius in battle. Narcissa raced to her son's side while Albus stood guard over the werewolves. Severus and Arthur were on the grounds now and heading for Lucius and Harry. Narcissa stood protectively over her son while Severus rushed to her aid. He quickly revived Draco. Draco stood up a little shaky. He saw his lover fighting to the death with his father. Fear for Harry raced through his veins. Lucius was set on killing both him and Harry. It was time to end this once and for all. Draco was held up by Severus. His mother stood on the opposite side. He raised his wand to cast his next spell.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" he shouted.

He watched in satisfaction as his father's wand fly out of his hand. Harry's wand also flew out of his hand, but Draco knew that it did not mater. Harry was an expert on wandless magic. As if Harry could read Draco's mind, he raised his hand and pointed at Lucius,

"PETRIFICUS TOTALUS," said Harry.

Lucius' arms and legs snapped together and he fell over. Harry waved his hand once more and had him rise in the air into a standing position. Harry used a spell of his own making. He waved his hand in a circle over Lucius' face. The man could now talk. Minerva grabbed Harry's wand and his sword as well as Lucius' wand.

"One wrong word and I will snap you neck," threatened Harry. "Draco, my love, do you have any final words to say to your father?"

"Yes I do," said Draco as Severus and Narcissa guided him over to stand in front of his father. "As long as Harry and I are alive, Voldemort will never take over, and he will never win. I am two hundred percent in love with Harry. The first day after the school year, he and I will be married. I have fixed it so that you can never have access to the Malfoy family fortune again. Even if you do get out of jail yet again, you will be penniless. I am now and forever will be a Potter."

"You have chosen the wrong side," said Lucius. "We will be victorious. We will over take this castle and the grounds and everything that you are working so hard to defend. We will have it all."

"I don't think so," said Harry. "I swear upon my life to defend Draco and everything we have. I love him with everything I have. This will be the last time that you get out of jail. The Aurors are here. I can feel them passing through my wards. I will marry your son. I will continue to care for you wife. You will never set foot in the Malfoy Manor. I will burn it to the ground first. You will also never set foot on the grounds of Hogwarts ever again because once and for all I will tell you THIS IS MY TOWN!"

Amelia Bones and the Aurors arrived and took away the prisoners. They would be placed in special cells until their trial. When that happened, they would all be given the Dementor's Kiss.

Severus picked up a shaky Draco and carried him into the castle. Harry and Narcissa were by his side the whole way. Severus entered the dorm and then into the bedroom shared by the two men. Narcissa sat with Draco while Harry got everything he needed to comfort his lover. When Harry was finished gathering all of his supplies, Narcissa stopped him.

"Harry," she said with tears in her eyes. "Thank you so much for saving him. You have my eternal gratitude for that. If you ever need someone to talk to or need advice on something please know that you can come to me. Welcome to my family."

"Thank you Mother Narcissa," said Harry. "Please go and comfort my family. I will tend to Draco. If I need help I will call you. Right now he needs some rest and some time to grieve. He will be ok with me."

"I have no doubt about that Harry," said Narcissa kissing him on the forehead.

She left the room and closed the door quietly behind her. Harry could hear her talking to the Dursleys telling them what happened. He could also hear the horrified and angry comments made by his relatives at the threat to Draco's life. Harry smiled as he tended to his crying husband to be. Draco cried for about an hour. Harry just sat there and held him as he cried sometimes crying with him. When at last Draco's eyes dried, Harry helped him get undressed. Harry put on a pair of shorts, and grabbed some lotion. For the next hour, he worked on Draco's muscles getting all the knots of tension out of them. Draco visibly began to relax under the hands of Harry. Draco turned over on his back. Harry ran a finger along his cheek and smiled in comfort to his lover. Draco saw the love, tenderness, and compassion in Harry's eyes. He reached up and pulled Harry down to him. It did not take long for their passion to erupt. They fell asleep that night with Draco wrapped protectively in Harry's arms. Even in his sleep, Harry was determined to protect Draco.

The next morning, they woke up to a tentative knock on the door. Harry made sure they were both covered before he responded softly to the knock. Narcissa poked her head in the room.

"I am sorry to disturb you," she said. "Everyone is waiting on you two so that we can all open gifts. A Merry Christmas to the two of you. It is time for you to get up."

Harry laughed and promised her that he and Draco would be cleaned and dressed in ten minutes. He had her get the house elves start dividing everyone's packages for him. When she left, Harry and Draco rushed to the shower. From there, they raced to the closet and both decided to wear jeans and sweaters. When they were done, they rushed out of the room to the applause of the assembled group. Harry looked around. There were literally hundreds of gifts everywhere. He and Draco each had a huge pile on their desk.

"Merry Christmas to everyone," said Harry and Draco.

Everyone started opening their presents. They were delighted by the gifts that Harry bought for them. Harry watched with a certain look on his face as Draco opened the ring he bought for him.

"Harry," said Draco. "This must have cost you a fortune. I absolutely love it. Thank you so much."

"What is fortune for someone as rich as we are?" asked Harry to the laughter of the group. "I am happy that you like it."

"Open your gifts Harry," said Albus. "You have watched us open ours. Now it is your turn."

Harry opened the gift from Albus. Inside was a framed portrait of Lily and James at their wedding. Harry passed the picture around. Tears were in his eyes as he thanked Albus for it. When it made its way back to Harry's hands, he turned and put in on the shelf behind his desk. Hermione's gift was just as amazing. There was a handsome leather bound book that was engraved with the words "The Potter Book of Shadows" in gold letters on the red leather. Harry sat the book to the side and opened the next one. Molly and the Weasleys had gotten Harry his usual hand knitted sweater, the latest products from the joke shop, and some more dress shirts. Ron and Ginny got Harry a leather jacket, and some leather gloves. The Dursley's gave Harry a scrap book with pictures of Harry's Grandparents on the Evans side. Harry placed that gently with rest of his gifts. Narcissa had given Harry a few of the Black family heirlooms that were in her possession. Harry set these to the side. Severus and Minerva, Filius, and Pomona got together and bought Harry a new racing broom. Harry's eyes danced at this. He and Draco never did get to go flying together. Remus gave Harry something that his father had given him when they were in school together. It was his very own collection of spells that the Potters had passed on for generations from father to son. Hagrid gave him the usual items necessary for feeding his animals. He also gave Harry the first born foal of Abraxan horses. Harry opened up hundreds of gifts from his other dorm mates and faculty members. He purposely saved Draco's gifts for last. He carefully opened the first package. Inside the package was a new jewelry box. This one had a picture of Harry and Draco that was taken on their first date. The knobs on the drawers were made of rubies. Harry fingered the gift reverently. Gently he set it on the side and opened up his second gift. This one was a book of all the letters that Harry and Draco had wrote to each other over the last seven months. Enclosed were pages with the words to the songs that they danced to and made love to. With tears in his eyes, Harry put the book down and opened his final package. Inside was a bracelet. There was a pearl embedded on one end and a ruby on the other. In the middle were the words "Draco and Harry forever".

By now Harry was in full crying mode. He held out his wrist so that Draco could clasp the bracelet around it. He got up and crushed his lips to Draco's. His tears mingled with Draco's as the love they had for one another poured into each other. Other people around the room looked at the couple with a smile on their faces. The love these two men had for one another was something that would sustain the depths of time. The house elves started cleaning up the wrappings as Harry and the group made their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. This was a Christmas that Harry and his friends and family would remember for a long time.

AUTHOR'S NOTE – I know. I know. I went into a lot of detail. Things like outfits I give detail to so that I can provide the visual for the beauty that the two have. As far as gifts, I feel like Harry myself a lot at the Yule season. I love giving tons of gifts. I also cherish each and every gift given to me. So in this story I relate to Harry and his way of thinking. Let me know what you all think.


	12. Catch Me if You Can

DISCLAIMER – Harry Potter and its affiliates are the sole property of JK Rowling.

DISCLAIMER – This is a gay slash between Draco and Harry. If you are uncomfortable with gay rights or homosexual innuendos, then I humbly ask you not to embarrass either of us by reading beyond this point. Thank you for your understanding.

DISCLAIMER – "Penny Lover" is a song by Lionel Richie. I had to make a minor adjustment to the song to fit this story.

NOTE – I have been listening to your ideas and comments. They are wonderful. Many will notice that I had to go back and make some corrections in the story. Thank you all for your help in informing me of the errors. My chapters will be still coming, but I now inform you that I am beta reading for a friend. So my brain will be in two different places for a little while. I would also like to thank you all for the wonderful reviews. 2200 visitors to the story so far and they keep coming. Without further prolonged agony on your part, we now move to the next chapter.

**Chapter 12 – Catch Me if You Can**

When Christmas had passed, Harry was true to his word and took Dudley to Diagon Alley to shop for his school supplies. They went to Flourish and Blotts where Harry bought Dudley all of his school books for all seven years. Harry took him to Madam Malkin's where he got a couple dozen robes for use around the school. Harry bought him all of the potion ingredients he would need for classes with Severus and Draco. Having a ready supply in the castle already, Harry did not need to buy much. Finally Harry took Dudley to the one place he was most anxious to go. Ollivanders. Dudley was excited about getting his own wand. When the two young men entered, they were met by the old wand maker.

"Hello Harry," greeted Mr. Ollivander. "What can I help you with today?"

"It was proven during the holiday that my cousin Dudley is a wizard," said Harry. "We are here to purchase his wand."

"Ah excellent," said Ollivander. "Let us find him a wand then."

"May I make a suggestion?" asked Harry.

"Of course Harry," said the shop keep. "What do you suggest?"

"Either Dudley will be compatible with Holly wood or Phoenix tail," said Harry. "He can get some faint sparks with my wand."

"An excellent suggestion," said Ollivander going down an aisle and pulling a couple dozen boxes down.

"Try this one," said Ollivander handing a wand to Dudley. "It is Oak wood and phoenix feather."

Dudley gave the wand a swish and nothing happened.

"No matter," said Ollivander taking the wand and replacing it in the box. "Try this one. It is Holly and Unicorn hair."

Dudley took the wand and gave it a swish. Again nothing happened. Ollivander was not upset by this. He handed Dudley a few more wands to try. Finally he handed Dudley the last one on the counter.

"Try this one," said Ollivander. "It is like Harry's wand with one small exception. It was a different phoenix for the core of this wand. In fact it was Harry's phoenix that gave the feather."

"This wand has Apollo's tail feather?" asked Dudley taking the wand.

"That's correct," said Ollivander.

Dudley swished the wand and gold sparks shot out the end.

"I should have tried this one first," said Mr. Ollivander to Harry. "You did tell me he can use your wand with low success."

"It does seem to be that way," said Harry. "Did you receive the tail feather from Draco's phoenix?"

"I did," said Ollivander. "I used Mahogany wood and her tail feather. It will be a very powerful wand."

Harry smiled at the old wizard as he bought Dudley a wand holster along with his wand.

"Harry," said Ollivander. "I have something here that might interest you. I will sell it to you for what I paid for it if you like."

"What have you found?" asked Harry with curiosity.

"I have literally FOUND the wand of Helga Hufflepuff," said the old wizard. "Someone was cleaning out their home and sent it to me. They did not know what they were selling me. I paid fifty galleons for it. I will sell it to you for the same amount."

"I will pay you one thousand galleons for it and not a knut less," said Harry eagerly taking the wand. "I don't want any argument from you about the price either."

Ollivander laughed and acknowledged Harry remark.

"I will keep my eyes peeled in case I come across the last two for you," said Ollivander.

"Thank you very much," said Harry. "Something tells me that Godric's is in the castle somewhere. Rowena's might be there too, but it is good to know that they are somewhere in the world and not destroyed."

"Such a tragedy it would be if they were," mumbled the old wizard.

Harry and Dudley thanked the wand maker and left. If Dudley needed anything else, they would get it from Hogsmeade. There was ample parchment and quills and things in the dorm. Dudley was eager to get back so that he could start reading his course books. Sure enough, when they made it back to the dorm, Dudley disappeared into his new room and could be seen lying on his bed with an open book in front of him. Harry smiled in amusement as he went about his various tasks in the castle. Petunia and Vernon would be leaving soon. Narcissa had left that morning. She, Petunia, and Molly sat for a couple of days. Each woman was leaving with a stack of parchments for the wedding that was still six months away. When Harry pointed this out they all told him to shut up and go away. Harry laughed as he left the women to their designated task.

Harry was walking by his room when he noticed that Draco was sitting there with tears in his eyes. Harry rushed to his lover and embraced Draco without even knowing why he was crying. Draco sat their in the comfort of Harry's arms.

"Why are you crying beloved?" asked Harry. "Has someone said or done something that has hurt you?"

"No Harry," said Draco smiling that special smile for him. "Every time I look at this ring on my finger, I can't help but become emotional with all of the happy thoughts and visions that I keep reliving."

Harry let out a sigh of relief. He got up and walked to his door and shut it. He made his way back to Draco and sat with him.

"Ok Spill," said Harry.

"I remember back to the day I took the pictures of your hand," he said. "The feeling of longing in you was intense. I could feel your pain. When I first arrived at your house I was determined to not have any feelings for you. When I looked in your eyes and saw your pain and suffering I had to fight not to cry. I felt so guilty. I knew that part of your pain had been caused by me and the rest of the Slytherins."

Harry did not say anything. He made himself comfortable on the bed and pulled Draco down with him. From there he let Draco continue with his thoughts.

"I was so ashamed of the way I had treated you," said Draco. "Then you wrote me that first letter and my world changed forever. I no longer thought of you the same. My desire and passion for you started that very first day. Then I saw you crying at the funeral of Sirius. It was shredding my heart to see you hurting so badly. I wanted to rush to you. Severus told me that it would not be a good idea to cause you more problems. So I waited."

"Wait," said Harry. "Severus knew you were falling in love with me?"

"For quite some time now," admitted Draco. "That is why he has helped us so much."

"Remind me to thank him for that," said Harry softly. "Please continue lover."

"Well I wrote back to you," said Draco. "I gave you the letter with your grades because I did not know how your relatives would react. It appeared that they already hated you. I didn't want to give them something else to hate you for. I talked with Dumbledore and he and I worked together to get you your birthday gift. I am so happy that you never take it off."

"Nor will I," said Harry.

"Well," continued Draco quickly. "We started to become such good friends. I was not sure how you felt about me. I hoped that you had the same feelings for me that I had for you. Then out of the blue we had that wonderful first date where we made love on the bank of the lake. It was wonderful. I remember every detail as if it happened only yesterday."

"So do I," whispered Harry.

"Then came the night that Voldemort poisoned Dean and Seamus and you had that horrible dream about him torturing me," said Draco. "I was not scared for myself. I was scared for you. Then we moved into the same room and my heart felt like it would explode with happiness. You made all of that seem small with what you did on Christmas Eve. Every time I look at my finger and see the honor of your mother's ring sitting on my finger with my birthstone added to it, I can't help but cry with tears of happiness. I love you so much that sometimes I feel like I will go crazy if you are away from me for to long."

"Now you know how I feel when you are out of my sight for too long," said Harry leaning over and then kissing Draco softly on the lips. "I can not seem to get enough of you."

"You mean like right now?" asked Draco trailing a finger seductively down Harry's chest making him shudder with ecstasy.

"Yes like right now," said Harry and then crushed his lips to Draco's passionately.

For well over an hour the two teased and tormented each other's flesh with the passion and love that they had for one another. Once their passion was satiated for the moment, both young men then decided to take a nap. This was how they were found later by Hermione. She found the two wrapped in each others arms in a loving and protective embrace. She leaned against the door frame gazing at the two men that were as dear to her as any sibling she would have had. She let her mind wander off in her own thoughts of what a love life for her would be like if the person she was interested in would feel the same way about her.

A tap on her shoulder broke her out of her reverie. She jumped and spun to find a smirking Ginny standing there. Ginny glanced into the room and saw the beautiful scene before her. She mimed a picture to Hermione who nodded with a happy smile. Hermione rushed over to get her camera. She raised it to snap the picture when a voice startled her and Ginny so much that both young women jumped a good foot off the floor.

"If you take that picture," said the voice of Harry. "I will hex you into oblivion."

"I will help him," echoed Draco. "Do you two mind? We are kind of not in a position to get up out of bed."

Both girls blushed and then slammed his door. Dudley's laughter at them echoed behind them as they ran for Hermione's room. Petunia came out of the guest suite at the noise. Dudley told her what happened and she laughed with him. Harry and Draco came out of their room five minutes later fully dressed.

"One of these days," said Harry to the assembled people. "I will use a permanent sticking charm and glue that camera to her face."

Everyone laughed at this. Even Hermione gave a small laugh.

"Draco and I will be going flying," said Harry. "We had planned to do so once before and our plans were interrupted. So now I plan to make good on that promise."

Both young men had brooms. Harry had the new model of the Firebolt and Draco had the original. Harry handed Hermione the wand of Helga and asked her to place it in the showcase under her sword.

"Use the normal wards on it," he said as he and Draco left the dorm.

They left the castle and mounted up. They pushed off the ground and rose into the air. They flew all over the grounds and parts of the Forbidden Forest. They wanted to feel the wind on their faces.

Draco," called Harry. "CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!"

"What is my reward if I do," he asked.

"Anything you want," said Harry zooming away.

Draco thought about this for a moment and with a smile on his face, he raced after Harry. Draco was a good flyer. However, he knew he was no match for Harry on a broomstick. They two raced one after the other for about an hour. Finally Harry slowed down and purposely let Draco catch him. They hovered for a moment in mid air and Harry gave Draco a kiss.

"Get on," said Harry motioning to the spot behind him.

"What are you going to do about this broom?" asked Draco as he carefully seated himself behind his lover.

Harry waved his hand in a complicated gesture and the broom disappeared.

"Where did it go?" asked Draco wrapping his arms around Harry.

"It is back in our room," he replied.

They flew to an area that did not have that many inhabitants. They enjoyed the feeling of being together.

"Do you mind if we go visit the grave of my parents?" asked Harry over the wind.

"I would like to see it also," said Draco.

The two men fly towards Godric's Hollow. Harry found them a safe place to land out of view of any muggles in the area. Once again he cast the charm to send his broom back to the castle. Hand in hand the two entered the graveyard. After a bit of a search, they found the grave of his parents. It seemed that many people took care of this grave. Even after fifteen years the tomb still looked brand new. Draco glanced around and then took out his wand. He waved it in a circle and a wreath of winter roses appeared. Harry caught it and laid it gently on the tombstone. Harry sat down and started talking to the grave. He told his parents all about Draco and his life in the castle and the changes that he had gone though. Draco left him by himself for a little while. He did not go far in case Harry would need him. Harry took out a picture of him and Draco and placed it on the grave.

"This is for you mom and dad," he said. "Where ever you are please know, that I am happy and well cared for. I miss you so much. I know that you would he happy with my choice of spouse. I love him so much."

As Harry was talking a soft glow emanated from the grave. When Harry looked up the ghostly figure of Lily and James were standing there. Harry was in shock. Draco realized something was wrong and rushed over to him.

"Whoa," said Draco when he saw the Potters there.

"This is the last bit of magic we have," said Lily. "We have waited a long time to be able to see you."

"We have heard everything you have said," James said next. "We are happy with you for what you have accomplished in your life."

"We have watched over you since we passed from the world," said Lily. "We are happy that you finally have someone in your life."

"As long as he makes you happy, is all that matters to us," said James. "I am happy that you thought to wear our rings as your engagement set."

"We have to leave now," said Lily. "Welcome to the family Draco."

"Please take care of our son," said James. "We both love the two of you. We will always be watching."

"I promise to watch out and care for Harry for as long as we both live," said Draco holding out his hand to the Potters.

"I promise to do the same for Draco," said Harry standing up and holding out his hand to his parents.

Lily and James both touched Harry's hand and then Draco's and then faded from sight.

"You look so much like your father," said Draco. "I am glad that I have that to look forward to when you finish filling out."

"That is the first time I have ever heard their voices before," said Harry with a tear in his eyes. "I will have to put this memory in a bottle."

Harry quickly put his wand to his temple and pulled out the memory. Draco conjured him a bottle to put in it. Both men looked at the swirling mist in the bottle.

"It seems your parents love you even beyond the realms of death," said Draco.

"It would also seem that they like you and have been watching over both of us," said Harry with a smile for his lover. "Don't I owe you some award or something for catching me?"

"Why, I believe you do," remarked Draco.

Harry stepped closer to his lover and took him in his arms. He turned on the spot and apparated the two of them back to the castle. Harry had found another song that would express his feelings for Draco. He twitched his wand and the music started. Harry pulled Draco into a slow dance.

The first time I saw you  
Oh, you looked so fine  
And I had a feeling  
One day you'd be mine  
Honey you came along and captured my heart  
Now my love is somewhere lost in your kiss  
When I'm all alone it's you that I miss  
Boy a love like yours is hard to resist  
Oh, oh, ooh, ooh, oh

Penny lover, my love's on fire  
Penny lover, you're my one desire  
Tell me baby could this be true  
That I could need someone, like I need you

Nights warm and tender  
Lying next to you  
Boy I surrender  
Oh, what more can I do  
I've spent all of my life in search of your love  
Now there's one more thing I'd like to say  
Don't you ever take your sweet love away  
Boy I'll do anything, just please stay  
Oh, oh

I don't understand it, oh what's come over me  
But I'm not gonna worry, no not anymore  
'cause when a man's in love, he's only got one story  
That's why my love is somewhere lost in your kiss  
When I'm lost and alone it's you that I miss  
With a love like yours, it's hard to resist  
Ooh, ooh, oh

Penny lover, don't you walk on by (don't you walk on by)  
Penny lover, don't you make me cry (don't you make me cry baby)  
Penny lover, don't you walk on by (don't you walk on by)  
Penny lover, don't you make me cry (oh penny baby)  
Penny lover, don't you walk on by (don't you walk on by)  
I remember the first time I saw you baby  
Penny lover, don't you make me cry  
You had the look in your eye, you had the look in your eye, yeah, yeah  
Ooh pretty baby  
I just wanted to reach out and touch you baby  
I just want to reach out and hold you, I want to reach out and say ooh, ooh  
Don't make me cry  
I wanna talk about you everyday (penny lover)  
Need you, need you baby ...

Those that were in their rooms or in the common room all lifted their heads when they heard the song start. Smiles could be seen as Harry's voice rose above the music in a hauntingly beautiful rendition of the song. Petunia and Vernon started dancing together in a corner. Hermione paused in her writing to gaze off in her mind. Ginny looked up from the book she was reading and place her chin in her hand and started to daydream. Up in his study Albus had a smile on his face. He and Minerva were sitting in front of the fireplace listening to the song Harry was singing.

"He definantly has a beautiful singing voice," said Minerva sipping her wine. "No wonder Draco enjoys it so much when he is being serenaded by Harry. I would be melting in his hands too if he were singing to me with that much passion."

Albus didn't say anything. He just listened to the beautiful lyrics and the power behind the meaning of the words as Harry sang them to Draco.

"He definantly gives it his all when he is doing something doesn't he," said Severus entering the room and hearing Harry. "I dare anyone in this world to defy that boy if anyone decided to get in his way of going after someone who is trying to hurt Draco."

"The same could be said for Draco," said Albus. "The love between the two is a powerful force. I for one am glad that I am not foolish enough to try and get in the middle of that."

The other professors nodded their heads in agreement as the songs final lyrics finished and Harry's voice stopped.

Back in their room, Harry and Draco were in the bed and Harry was giving Draco the promised reward.

What neither Harry nor Draco knew was that the castle herself had allowed the music to drift to others in a way where it would not disturb anyone. Hogwarts kept Harry and Draco's love making private, but like everyone else she enjoyed hearing Harry sing. Whenever Harry started to serenade Draco each and every member of Team Potter and the staff would stop in their tracks and listen. They would begin to reminisce about their own love life, or their future love to be.

Later that evening, Harry invited Minerva, Severus, and Albus to the dorm. He went to his pensieve and showed everyone sitting there what his parents had done and said.

"I did not know that you could do things like this," said Harry when the memory ended. "What did she mean, this is the last bit of magic we have?"

"Some people," said Albus. "When they die unexpectantly, or like in the case of your parents, trying to defend the person that means more to them than life itself, it leaves a special ability in the soul of the person. When the person of their love visits their final resting place, they can use that last bit of magic to come back just one more time to give their blessing to the person or persons they died for. In this case, your parents wanted you to know that they were proud of you and had accepted Draco as your life bonded. This is indeed a very rare magic. It is also a very special gift."

"I am very happy that they did it," said Harry. "The thought that they accept Draco is a huge comfort to me."

"He and I are one in that thought," said Draco. "To know that Harry's parents approve of me makes me feel so complete."

"If it were not for Voldemort," said Severus to Draco. "I am sure that your father would have felt the same way. We already know that your mother supports this union with every ounce of her ability."

"That is a relief to me," said Harry with a small laugh. "I am happy that I have her blessing. I can't stop loving Draco now if I wanted to."

Thanks lover," said Draco. "I feel the same way about you."

"By the way Harry," said Albus with a mad twinkle in his eyes. "We were wondering if you would one day like to give us a special command performance of all these songs that you serenade so wonderfully to Draco?"

"What do you mean?" asked Harry starting to get suspicious.

"We can't help but stop what we are doing to hear you sing Harry," said Hermione. "Before you ask, I don't think anyone here is complaining about it. It is wonderful. You have a natural talent for singing."

"Even some of us professors stop when we hear you singing to Draco," said Albus as his eyes started going crazy.

"I think I am missing something here," said Harry. "Are you all saying that you can hear what is going on behind our closed door?"

"No Harry," said Minerva quickly. "The only thing that we hear is when you start singing."

"You see Harry," said Severus. "The castle keeps your private life separate. When you start singing Hogwarts sort of broadcasts it to everyone else."

"Oh no," said Harry. "I am so sorry. I didn't mean to disturb anyone. I am so embarrassed."

"My dear," said Petunia. "I don't think anyone cares. In fact your uncle and I got up and started dancing."

"There is no need to be embarrassed Harry," said Albus. "We enjoy the break from our monotonous tasks. When you start singing, you are like a breath of fresh air."

"It is almost like I can forget all of my worries and be at peace for a few minutes," said Hermione. "I for one enjoy it."

"I think it is fair to say that everyone around you enjoys it," said Albus. "So how about giving us that concert?"

"If you ask that once more," said Harry red down to his roots. "I will curse you into pieces."

Everyone was rolling in mirth. Harry dropped his head to his hands to hide his very red face. He was not angry. He was just thoroughly embarrassed by all the praise. Draco reached up and lifted his chin until he was looking into his eyes.

"I actually think that is a great idea," said Draco. "It would give the students something to look forward to. Plus I get to hear you sing everything that is in your heart to me."

Harry sat there with a shocked look on his face.

"You all really think that I am that good?" he asked in disbelief.

There was a chorus of yes all around the room.

"Ugh," said Harry. "I know I am going to regret this. When did you want your concert?"

"How about day after tomorrow," said Albus. "The rest of the teachers and the student body will be back from the holidays, and it will be a nice welcome back treat for them all."

"So soon?" asked Harry. "I have not had time to prepare and they won't know what is going on or anything."

"Notices have already been placed on the house notice boards, and I have already booked you some musicians," said Albus with a smile that would make an imp grind its teeth in frustration.

"YOU OLD COOT," said Harry taking out his wand. "I AM GOING TO GET YOU FOR THIS."

Albus stood and ran out of the room with Harry hot on his heels. The rest of the group was in different states of red as they were laughing so hard.

The next couple of days went by quickly for Harry. He spent hours going over music. In the end, after a Bat Bogey Hex on Albus, he started practicing his music. Hermione and Draco were a huge help in this as were his relatives. The older Dursleys decided that they would stay until after Harry's performance. Sheet music was prepared by everyone who could make it happen with a wand. January 2nd approached. The students were back in school as were the rest of the staff. Whispers were going around the school about how the DADA Professor was giving an impromptu concert. Whispers also went around about how Harry had hexed the Head Master. In the end Harry had agreed to this because Draco had asked him to.

Classes were done for the day. The Great Hall was arranged differently. Instead of the house tables, there were many small tables around the room. A small dance floor was set up for those that wished to dance. As the students entered the hall, they were confused. They noticed that each table had name cards on them. The found their places and sat down. Molly and Arthur were there as well. Amelia Bones and a few choice Aurors were also present. Narcissa and her sister Andromeda arrived and sat with Severus. All in all Albus and Minerva had planned this out very well.

"If I might have your attention," said Albus standing. "Tonight's dinner will be different than normal. Professor McGonagall and I, along with a couple of students have arranged a welcome back for you. The house elves will be creating a special meal. Forgive us for the lack of larger varieties, but this way will be better and easier."

Albus waved his hand, and a group of musicians walked in and took their places on the special stage.

"May I present to you for your enjoyment the talents of Professor Harry Potter," said Albus. "Please make him feel appreciated."

He started clapping as Harry walked into the Hall and took his place on the stage. Soon the students, faculty, and guests followed his lead. Harry had picked his outfit for the night with extreme care. He was wearing a pair of white leather pants. He wore a silver pullover shirt that was so tight that it showed off the muscles in his chest nicely.

The music started as dinner was served. Harry started with the first song he had sung to Draco. The lyrics of "It's Your Love" flowed from Harry with care and passion. From there he sang "Even the Nights Are Better". As those that were finished eating were starting to get lost in their daydreams, Albus and Minerva stood and started to dance. They were soon joined by the Dursleys and the Weasleys. Harry finished that song and took a small breather. Next he started singing "This Kiss". The younger students went wild for this song. Harry sang a few more upbeat songs. From there he slowed it back down. Students and everyone else were listening with everything they had. Finally Harry sang the song that got him into this mess in the first place. He sang "Penny Lover" as he stared into the eyes of Draco. He tuned everyone out and sang as if Draco were the only one in the room. There was not a dry eye in the room as he sang the lyrics to the one he loved so much.

The first time I saw you  
Oh, you looked so fine  
And I had a feeling  
One day you'd be mine  
Honey you came along and captured my heart  
Now my love is somewhere lost in your kiss  
When I'm all alone it's you that I miss  
Boy a love like yours is hard to resist  
Oh, oh, ooh, ooh, oh

Penny lover, my love's on fire  
Penny lover, you're my one desire  
Tell me baby could this be true  
That I could need someone, like I need you

Nights warm and tender  
Lying next to you  
Boy I surrender  
Oh, what more can I do  
I've spent all of my life in search of your love  
Now there's one more thing I'd like to say  
Don't you ever take your sweet love away  
Boy I'll do anything, just please stay  
Oh, oh

I don't understand it, oh what's come over me  
But I'm not gonna worry, no not anymore  
'cause when a man's in love, he's only got one story  
That's why my love is somewhere lost in your kiss  
When I'm lost and alone it's you that I miss  
With a love like yours, it's hard to resist  
Ooh, ooh, oh

Penny lover, don't you walk on by (don't you walk on by)  
Penny lover, don't you make me cry (don't you make me cry baby)  
Penny lover, don't you walk on by (don't you walk on by)  
Penny lover, don't you make me cry (oh penny baby)  
Penny lover, don't you walk on by (don't you walk on by)  
I remember the first time I saw you baby  
Penny lover, don't you make me cry  
You had the look in your eye, you had the look in your eye, yeah, yeah  
Ooh pretty baby  
I just wanted to reach out and touch you baby  
I just want to reach out and hold you, I want to reach out and say ooh, ooh  
Don't make me cry  
I wanna talk about you everyday (penny lover)  
Need you, need you baby ...

Harry ended his singing then. There was a fire in his eyes as he looked at Draco. He barely had enough in him to acknowledge the applause and whistles he got. All he wanted at that moment was his one true love. With a nod of his head, he indicated to Draco what he wanted. His lover, ever observant, knew that look and discretely left. Harry made one final bow and then excused himself and left the Great Hall. He rushed after Draco and met up with the blonde. Together they made their way to their bedroom where Draco gave in to the fierce look of passion in Harry's eyes.

The talk of the school for the next few days was about nothing but the way Harry had sang. Many hoped that he would do it again soon. The faculty too had much to say about his singing.

"I never knew he was so talented," said Madam Hooch. "That boy is going places in this world."

"You are telling me," said Professor Vector. "I had no idea he could sing."

Harry smiled as he sat at his desk reading some letters from staff and students thanking him for the wonderful show. He stared off into space as he replayed the look on Draco's face as he sang to him.

"What I won't do for him," said Harry with a smile.

AUTHOR'S NOTE – I had to work hard to figure out how to stop. With that last line, I will end the chapter. I am happy with the way the story is turning out. Stay tuned for a bit more from the Dark side in the next chapter. Please keep those wonderful reviews coming.


	13. I Can Be Your Hero

DISCLAIMER – Harry Potter and its affiliates are the sole property of JK Rowling.

DISCLAIMER – This is a gay slash story between Harry and Draco. If you are uncomfortable with gay rights or homosexual innuendos, then I humbly ask that you not read beyond this line. Thank you for your understanding.

DISCLAIMER – "I Can Be Your Hero" is a song sung by Enrique Iglesias. "Hello" is a song by Lionel Richie.

NOTE – I want to thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews. "For Love of a Slytherin has passed all three of my other books in popularity. With well over 2600 visitors to the story so fat, it is a favorite of many. Your reviews and comments are wonderful. I send a respond back to each one. If you do not get one it is because there is no link for me to respond with. That does happen from time to time. Thank you again for your patronage. For your reading pleasure, here is the next chapter.

**Chapter 13 – I Can Be Your Hero**

The day Harry had been dreading finally arrived. It was time to go to the Ministry of Magic to attend the trial of Delores Umbridge. DADA classes were being taught by Remus today and Potions classes were canceled. Harry, Draco, Severus, Albus, Hermione, Neville, Luna, Ron, and Ginny were needed for the trial to testify. When the group finished their breakfast, they convened in the entrance hall of the castle. They all linked hands as Harry turned on the spot and apparated them to the Ministry. They were met by Ministry officials and led to Courtroom Ten. Harry remembered his day here. He was scared that the chains on the chair would bind him to it. Albus had managed to get him out of trouble that day. He remembered it all as if it was only yesterday. It was an experience he never wanted to go through again. He whispered all of this to Draco while waiting for the trial to start. Draco was red in the face with anger at the incident.

"I hope that sadistic bitch rots in prison for the rest of her life," said Draco through gritted teeth.

Harry took Draco's hand in his own and leaned back in his chair with a smile on his face. The judge and jury were filing in. Amelia Bones would be presiding over the trial. Albus would act as the prosecutor. All of a sudden, they could feel the effects of the Dementors. Hermione cast her otter patronus to shield them from the effects. Draco and Harry's patronus would be too large. Flanked on either side by a Dementor was none other than Delores Umbridge. She looked tired and disheveled. Her toad like grin was no longer plastered across her mouth. She walked hunched over. The Dementors led her to the chair and the chains snaked up around her. She did not fight. She looked resigned to her fate. Amelia Bones stood up and began.

"We are here today to listen to the evidence against Delores Umbridge," said Amelia. "Madam Umbridge was formerly the senior undersecretary to Minister Fudge. She is on trial today for multiple charges."

The witches and wizards of the Wizengamot rustled nervously in their seats.

"She is charged with the use of dark item known as a Blood Quill on a student while she was a professor at Hogwarts," said Amelia. "She is also being charged with the attempted use of and Unforgivable Curse on the same student. She is also charged with sending Dementors to the alley near Wisteria Lane with the sole purpose of administering the Kiss, to the mentioned student. Last but not least, she is charged with buying and possessing stolen goods which belonged to the student."

"Which student was it?" asked Augusta Longbottom.

"The student we are referring to is now the DADA Professor at Hogwarts," said Amelia to the astonished group. "We are of course referring to Professor Harry Potter."

There was a startled gasp that came from the assembled group.

"Before we begin this, I have something to say to Professor Potter," said Amelia. "We have spoken to the house elf by the name of Dobby. He has admitted to the hover charm that was used on the pudding. Therefore we have removed the mark for underage magic from your record. As it stands now, you don't even have a memo on your record."

"Thank you Minister Bones," said Harry standing and giving her a bow. "That is most kind of you to do this for me."

Harry sat back down to a kiss on the cheek from Draco. Amelia smiled at him and then turned to Delores.

"Madam Umbridge," she said. "Were you in passion of, and currently still are in possession of a dark item known as a Blood Quill?"

"I did not know that it was a dark object," said Delores attempting to smile. "I just allowed Mr. Potter to use a quill of mine so that he could not cheat while doing his lines for disrupting my classes."

"Are you telling the court that Harry Potter's hand was not bleeding after each and every time he used your quill?" asked Amelia angrily.

"Not that I noticed," said Delores. "He never said anything."

"I would like to present to the court evidence pertaining to this charge," said Amelia providing the photographs of Harry's hand. She showed these to Delores. As the rest of the panel of judges saw the photographs, there were cries of outrage from the assembly. Amelia had to quiet them down.

"How do we know those photos are not doctored?" Delores asked in her annoying simpering voice.

"Professor Potter," said Amelia turning to him. "May we see your hand in the flesh?"

Harry stood up and walked over to the panel of wizards. He showed them his hand which still had the outline of the words "I must not tell lies" on it.

"He could have done that to himself," snapped Delores. "He never liked me because I would not allow him to do what he wanted in my class. You have no proof that I have done that."

"Actually," said Albus in a cold voice. "We do have proof. I present to the panel the memory of Professor Potter during one of his detentions with Madam Umbridge."

Albus walked up to the pensieve and poured the memory into it. Amelia and a couple of others viewed the memory.

"This memory has not been tampered with," said Amelia. "It clearly shows that Madam Umbridge knowingly used a Blood Quill on Harry Potter."

"This is an outrage," shrieked Delores."

"Pipe down you old toad," said Harry. "It is only an outrage because you are guilty and are now being punished for it. Now shut your mouth or I will make you."

"Professor," said Madam Bones. "While we sympathize with you on this matter, we can not have you threatening the defendant. However, it is noted that she does need to not speak unless being asked a question. So in his words Madam Umbridge, shut your mouth or we will do it for you."

Delores snapped her mouth closed with an audible sound. It was one thing to pick on a student. It was entirely a different thing to upset the entire Wizengamot. Harry and Draco smiled and gave each other a kiss. Hermione was snickering behind her hand. Even Severus had to put his hand up to hide a smile.

"On the charge of attempting to use an Unforgivable Curse on a student," continued Amelia. "How do you plead?"

"I will say that I was justified," said Delores.

"How were you justified in attempting to use an illegal curse on a student?" asked Amelia outraged.

"I knew he was keeping the whereabouts of the criminals Albus Dumbledore and Sirius Black from the Ministry," she answered simply. "I thought the Cruciatus Curse would loosen his tongue."

"Professor Potter," said Amelia. "Would you like to comment on this?"

Harry stood and walked over to the panel.

"I admit that I knew where Sirius was," said Harry. "I did not however know where the Head Master was at that time. Were it not for the timely actions of Hermione Granger, she would have used the curse on me. As it was, no one at the time believed me when I said that Sirius was innocent. I started proclaiming his innocence three years ago. Minister Fudge and Professor Snape thought that Ron, Hermione, and I were under the Confundus Charm."

"Is this true Professor Snape?" she asked.

"Yes Minister Bones," said Severus. "At the time, I believed it to be true. Now that I have had the opportunity to review my actions, I regret not believing Professor Potter and I have hopes that he has forgiven me."

"Of course I have," said Harry. "At the time, who would have believed three thirteen year olds?"

"Notation has been made," said Madam Bones. "Madam Umbridge, even with these notes of interest coming out into the open, it is still illegal to use an Unforgivable Curse on another being. As the person you were attempting to use the Unforgivable Curse on was a minor at the time, it is even more punishable."

Delores just shrugged her shoulders. She was acting like she did not care. Harry was getting angry about this as was many on the panel of judges. Draco was seething at Harry's side.

"Did you send Dementors to the alley near Wisteria Lane to administer the Kiss to Harry Potter and his cousin Dudley Dursley?" asked Amelia.

"Someone had to shut him up," said Delores. "Everyone was talking about it and no one would do anything about it. So I took matters into my own hands. Were it not for Dumbledore, he would have been expelled from Hogwarts, and the Dark Lord would probably have him by now."

The court erupted at this statement. It took Harry, Albus, and Amelia a few minutes and a few bangs from their wands before order was restored.

"You do realize that you have just admitted to attempted murder," said Amelia very pale in the face.

Delores just shrugged her shoulders. She did not look even remotely abashed.

"Who else knew about this?" asked Amelia.

"I will not give out names," said Delores.

Amelia let that slide for a moment. She looked down at her list of charges.

"This last charge is one that I myself am witness to," said Amelia to the rest of the panel of judges. "It was proven in my presence as well as the presence of the Head Master and Head Auror that Madam Umbridge was in fact carrying on her person the locket of Salazar Slytherin. It has been proven that Harry Potter is a descendant of his and by right the locket was his. It was removed from his property at Number 12 Grimmauld Place without his authorization by Mundungus Fletcher. We have located Mr. Fletcher and he gave testimony to the fact that she demanded he sell it to her or she would have him arrested. Madam Umbridge, how do you plead?"

"There is no point in denying that I knew what the locket was and who it was for," she said. "I had orders to retrieve it at all costs and keep it safe."

"Who did you have orders from?" asked Amelia.

"No," said Delores. "No, no, no. I will not be giving names today."

"Then we will just have to force you," said Amelia nodding to an Auror.

The Auror approached Delores and pulled out a bottle of Veritaserum. He administered the appropriate amount and stepped back. The panel waited.

"I will ask you one more time," said Amelia. "Who gave you the orders to kill Harry Potter, and who gave you orders to get the locket?"

"Cornelius Fudge," said Delores to the astonishment of the group.

Amelia went into immediate action. She sent Aurors to apprehend the former Minister of Magic immediately.

"Does anyone on the panel believe that Madam Umbridge is innocent of her crimes?" asked Amelia.

No one on the panel raised their hands.

"With not a single hand rising in the air to give you the benefit of the doubt," said Amelia. "You are hereby found guilty. For the crime of attempted murder, you will be administered the Kiss." 

"NOOOO!" shrieked Delores.

The Dementor approached her and lowered its hood. It bent down, and the kiss was administered. Her eyes glazed over and she slumped in the chair. From there, Delores was taken away.

Harry sat in shock. He had no doubt that she would be found guilty. He was saddened by the loss of life. While he hated Delores for everything she put him through he did not wish her this. She was not dead, but it would not be long before her body gave out. She would be buried near the rest of the prisoners that died while in Azkaban. Draco sympathized with Harry. He had received a letter from the Ministry when his father was administered the kiss. It is a crushing blow for you even when it is your enemy receiving it.

Harry was sitting there pale in the face when something bad happened. In the midst of everything going on, the emerald skull with the serpent in its mouth appeared in the courtroom. Many of the jury screamed. Harry stood.

"You think that by having some of my Death Eaters receive the Kiss that you will stop me?" asked Voldemort through the image. "You have stopped nothing. I will get more followers and I will crush your puny resistance."

Spells started flying from the mouth of the skull. Some of the people fleeing were hit with stunners. Harry was too shocked to do anything. Hermione fell at his side hit by a stunner. Draco was shocked like everyone else, but he had the presence of mind to stop a few curses that flew at Harry. He knew that if he could not get Harry to snap out of it then he would lose him. Severus was attempting to bring Harry to his senses. Draco let the fury that was near the surface during the trial hit full force.

"EXPULSO!" he shouted aiming at the image of the Dark Mark.

The mark vanished with a boom. Draco did not pause to see the after effects. He turned to Harry and grabbed him by his face. He turned Harry's head and gave his a deep passionate kiss on the lips. Breath returned to Harry as he snapped out of his trance. He embraced Draco and returned his kiss passionately.

Amelia and the rest were busy tending to the wounded. Harry and Draco were in their own world.

"Thank you for protecting me," said Harry. "You have saved me once again."

"It isn't only you that can save someone," said Draco softly. "I can be your Hero baby."

"Thanks lover," said Harry. "Let's go home."

"Music to my ears," said Draco.

Harry wrapped his arms around Draco. He turned on the spot and apparated the couple right back to their room.

"He could have waited for the rest of us," sighed Severus. "It would not have killed him to bring us all home."

"Come now Severus," said Albus smiling. "We can floo back to my office. First, let's make sure that Miss Granger is ok."

The two men leaned over and assisted Hermione to her feet. After assuring them she was fine, the remaining group members made their way to the fireplaces in the Atrium and flooed back to Hogwarts. Albus made Hermione promise that she was going to go and lay down. After assuring him she would, she, Ron, Neville, Luna, and Ginny headed back to their dorm.

Harry and Draco were already deep in their passion for one another. When they were done, Harry nudged Draco.

"I sing for you, all the time lover," he said. "How about you sing for me once?"

"I can not sing like you can," said Draco. "I can only give it my best."

"I am sure you will do wonderful," assured Harry. "After all, it is for me you are singing."

Draco smiled at Harry. He flicked his wand at the stack of CDs on the shelf. He got the one he wanted and flicked his wand a second time. Slowly the tune started and with it, Draco started to sing. Harry was floored by the sound of Draco's voice. In different parts of the castle people stopped to listen as the song started and were surprised when they heard Draco's voice.

_Would you dance, if I asked you to dance?  
Would you run, and never look back?  
Would you cry, if you saw me crying?  
And would you save my soul, tonight?_

Would you tremble, if I touched your lips?  
Would you laugh? Oh please tell me this.  
Now would you die, for the one you love?  
Hold me in your arms, tonight

I can be your hero, baby  
I can kiss away the pain  
I will stand by you forever  
You can take my breath away

Would you swear, that you'll always be mine?  
Or would you lie? Would you run and hide?  
Am I in too deep? Have I lost my mind?  
I don't care you're here, tonight

I can be your hero, baby  
I can kiss away the pain  
I will stand by you forever  
You can take my breath away

Oh, I just wanna hold you  
I just wanna hold you, oh yeah  
Am I in too deep? Have I lost my mind?  
Well I don't care you're here, tonight

I can be your hero, baby  
I can kiss away the pain, oh yeah  
I will stand by you forever  
You can take my breath away

I can be your hero, I can kiss away the pain  
(I can be your hero, baby)  
And I will stand by you, forever  
You can take my breath away  
You can take my breath away  
And I can be your hero

When the tune was over and Draco was silenced by Harry's lips on his, those that were listening sighed with pleasure and continued on their designated tasks.

Weeks passed and Harry and Draco's love for each other flourished. Many a time the couple could be seen working together or sitting there not far from one another with a book in their laps. Their desks were close together and from time to time they could be seen grading papers together or Harry tutoring Draco in a weak spot in his studies. Other times, they could be seen with Hermione and Dudley with the group assisting Dudley as much as they could. Dudley seemed to be a natural and grasped the lessons well.

It was during the month of February when the castle had a loss. Many of the students did not think it was a great loss, but Harry and the rest of the staff quickly got them in line. Harry called for a meeting of the school in the Great Hall. Albus quickly approved and called the assembly together for him. All of the students were a little surprised that Harry wanted to talk to them.

"We are gathered today to remember Argus Filch," he said. "While he may not have been the nicest person in the world, he was still a person. He took his job very seriously. He was very old school. I will ask you all to not speak ill of the dead. Not only is it immature, but it is extremely disrespectful and rude. The next time I hear anyone speak ill of the deceased, I will dole out a severe detention. I promise you it will be the most disgusting and hardest thing I can think of."

Harry sat in his chair and looked around. Draco and Hermione each grabbed his hand under the table.

"Very admirable," said Albus standing and addressing the students. "It just so happens that I agree with Professor Potter. The disrespecting of the deceased is not appropriate and will be punished most severely. I am delighted to say that we have a coupe that will be taking over for the late Mr. Filch. Please give welcome to our new caretakers, Vernon and Petunia Dursley?"

Harry, Draco, Hermione, and Dudley all stood up and applauded as the Dursleys entered the Great Hall. It was apparent that Albus wanted all of Harry's family as near as possible. It was easier to protect them this way. If there was any doubt before about the severity of the punishment, it was definantly knowledgeable that Harry's relatives would make their lives hell. That is if they could get past Harry and Draco and the rest of Team Potter.

"I would like to say," Petunia said. "The new and improved list of banned items is now posted on my office door. I have reviewed the old list and removed a few things. In fact I have removed at least half of the list. This doesn't mean that we will tolerate you breaking the rules that are set for your safety."

"Wrong doers that are sent to us for detention will be responsible for rewriting the misdeeds and their punishments," added Vernon.

The Dursleys sat down in their allotted places. Harry and Albus scanned the hall for anyone who might think that the Dursleys would be pushovers. No one dared to challenge the DADA Professor or the Head Master.

"I think that everything that needed to be said has been spoken," said Albus. "Please go about your studies. You are dismissed."

Harry and the leaders of Team Potter converged on the Dursleys.

"I had no idea that Albus asked you guys to take over for Argus," said Harry with a smile. "Welcome aboard."

"Thank you son," said Vernon. "It also gives us time to work on the relationship we never had while you were growing up. Now that we understand your position in this world as well as the help that you give to everyone, we are delighted to make amends for our mistakes in the past and work with you for a better tomorrow."

"The past is the past," said Harry. "I am glad that you know what it is I do for the world."

"I am glad that we get to stay near Dudley as well," said Petunia with a blush. "I would have missed him too much to not want to do something. Plus I get to help you as well. I also get to know my nephew to be more."

Draco and Harry blushed down to their toes with the compliments. After assuring the Dursleys that if they needed anything that all they had to do was ask, Harry and Draco pulled Dudley along back to the dorm.

"You have homework to do," reminded Harry. "You do not want to fall behind. You can see your mom and dad anytime now."

Dudley nodded his head and went back to his desk. Harry sat behind his desk to finish grading the exams that he had left to grade. So far Dudley was doing wonderful. He was passing all of his exams with an "acceptable" at the very least. He weakest subject was potions. So often, Harry, Draco, or Hermione would sit with him and go over things. Dudley was passing every exam in Charms with a high score. It seemed to be his strongest subject. He was also excelling in COMC. Whenever he wasn't studying, he could be found with Hagrid asking questions and working with Hagrid with the animals. He was doing so well in COMC that he had progressed to third year studies rapidly. What worried Harry the most was that Dudley was sharing Hagrid's mentality about dealing with dangerous creatures. He was just as fascinated with them as Hagrid was. That was never a good thing.

Harry was sitting there lost in thought. It was in this state that Draco found him.

"What are you thinking about lover?" he asked Kissing Harry on the head.

"I am wondering what the mothers have in store for us for our wedding," he replied. "I would have preferred to keep it simple. I want it elegant, but simple."

"Well lover," said Draco. "As much as I agree with you on that, we both know that won't happen. I know for a fact that my mother will make the biggest spectacle she can with this. I have no doubt that Mother Molly and Aunt Petunia is in the same mindset as mom is."

"I am sure you are correct," said Harry with a smile. "I don't care what it is as long as you and I can be a married couple."

"That will be wonderful," said Draco. "Harry, I want you to know that it will be an honor to take your name. I know mother is getting rid of the name Malfoy and going back to her maiden name. She is just waiting on the paperwork to get filed."

"I am sorry about your father love," said Harry in a whisper. "I know how hard it must be for you."

"Do not feel sorry for him love," said Draco. "He was bad to the core. He had every opportunity to turn over a new leaf when you stopped Voldemort when you were a baby. He chose to continue working for the dark side. I just wish you and I could have been friends sooner than we did. It would mean that you and I could have been together a lot longer than we are now."

"At least we have each other now," said Harry with a smile.

"Shall I tell you what I was feeling before we became a couple?" asked Draco flicking his wand at a CD. "In fact let me sing it to you."

_I've been alone with you  
Inside my mind  
And in my dreams I've kissed your lips  
A thousand times  
I sometimes see you  
Pass outside my door  
Hello!  
Is it me you're looking for?  
I can see it in your eyes  
I can see it in your smile  
You're all I've ever wanted  
And my arms are open wide  
Because you know just what to say  
And you know just what to do  
And I want to tell you so much  
I love you_

I long to see the sunlight in your hair  
And tell you time and time again  
How much I care  
Sometimes I feel my heart will overflow  
Hello!  
I've just got to let you know  
Because I wonder where you are  
And I wonder what you do  
Are you somewhere feeling lonely?  
Or is someone loving you?  
Tell me how to win your heart  
For I haven't got a clue  
But let me start by saying I love you

Hello!  
Is it me you're looking for?  
Because I wonder where you are  
And I wonder what you do  
Are you somewhere feeling lonely?  
Or is someone loving you?  
Tell me how to win your heart  
For I haven't got a clue  
But let me start by saying I love you

As Draco was singing, Hermione and Ginny stepped out of their room to listen. The doors that weren't opened before were now opened as each person wanted to hear this in person. When Draco was done, they all applauded. Draco smiled and grabbed Harry's hand and led him to their bedroom where he and Harry spent the rest of the night proving to each other time and time again how much they loved one another.

"Do you think we should offer choir as a new course on the curriculum?" asked Albus to Minerva.

"That might not be a bad idea," said Minerva. "I doubt that you will get Harry away from DADA. Maybe Draco could become the choir master."

"It is definantly something to think about," said Albus.

"I can't hurt to ask him," she said.

"This is true," said Albus. "Who knows? Maybe Harry will do guest lectures on music from time to time."

"You know he would," said Minerva laughing. "When it comes to singing to Draco, he can't resist being the best he can be."

"Succinctly put my dear," said Albus with a smile.

AUTHOR'S NOTE – I know its turning into a musical. I can't help it. I feel drawn to these songs as they state how Draco and Harry feel for one another. I promise to bring some drama into the story. After all we still have Death Eaters out there. Please keep sending me those wonderful reviews. For those of you that can relate to this story, I hope my choice of songs is touching your heart as much as it is touching mine. Thanks.


	14. Before He Cheats

DISCLAIMER – Harry Potter and its affiliates are the sole property of JK Rowling.

DISCLAIMER – This is a gay slash story between Draco and Harry. If you are offended by gay rights, or homosexual innuendoes, then I humbly ask that you not read beyond this point. Thank you for understanding.

NOTE – Thanks to all of you wonderful readers, "For Love of A Slytherin" has done better than any other story I have written so far in popularity and fan favorites. Thank you for following with me on the ability for me to show a loving side of myself. For those of you that have been waiting patiently or not so patiently, here is the next chapter.

**Chapter 14 – Before He Cheats**

February came with surprisingly cold winds. Slytherin was in the lead for the Quidditch Cup. What surprised many was that Hufflepuff was in the lead for the House Cup as they were ahead in points by a wide margin. Harry was sitting at his desk wondering what he was going to do with the rest of his afternoon. He was reviewing in his mind things that had happened in his classes. He would smile at some things, and frown at others. There was always a prankster who thought they could cause a problem in class and get away with it. Harry enjoyed a good joke as well as the next, but sometimes things went a little too far and he had to put his foot down. It was on this occasion when he sat down at his desk for his third year Slytherin and Hufflepuff class that he assigned detention to a student for causing the legs of Harry's chair to disappear causing him to hit his head on the desk as he fell. Harry sent the imps to Vernon with a letter explaining what they did and when they were to report for detention. Harry could hear Vernon yelling about the incident all the way from his classroom. He was glad he was not on the receiving end of Vernon's tongue lashing. Minerva could be heard a few minutes later giving them her own rant.

Harry had taken to leaving his classroom door open. He enjoyed the sounds of things in the castle. It also gave him an opportunity to see one of Team Potter sneak into his class during one of their breaks and listen with interest as he taught. Harry was especially delighted when that person was Draco. The class would titter when he lost his train of thought when he realized his beloved was sitting in the room. He was reviewing in his minds eye his sixth year class. He saw Pansy sitting in the last row taking notes. She did not call attention to herself, nor did she cause any problems. She just listened to his lecture and when class was over she left. Harry said nothing to her. As long as she was not causing problems he would continue to allow her to attend classes. He even walked around the room and whispered a correction on one of her notes to her. As he walked away he could see her scribbling the correction furiously. Draco had smiled at him for this.

"What are you smiling about lover?" asked Draco coming into the dorm and sitting down next to Harry.

"I am reviewing in my mind Pansy's behavior in the class today," said Harry. "I think I will offer her special training on the side if she wants it. As long as she behaves herself, I see no problem with continuing with her education."

"Would you like me to go and talk with her for you?" asked Draco.

"That would be great lover," said Harry. "Tell her I will make time for her as best as I can."

"I will handle it," said Draco.

After Draco left, Harry looked over to see Hermione standing there.

"Harry can I talk with you for a moment?" she asked.

"Do you really need to ask?" he replied. "You know I will always make time for you."

"I uh," she stammered. "I wanted to know how you got started with Draco."

"Meaning?" asked Harry. "You helped us get started."

"No," she said hesitantly. "I mean before you guys were a couple. How did you guys break the ice?"

"I sent him a letter," said Harry. "I know for a fact that you have read that book."

"Yes I have," she said blushing. "The words the two of you pass back and forth are so amazing."

"Then why are you asking?" he asked confused. "You really need to erase my confusion."

"There is someone here in the school that I am interested in," said Hermione. "I don't know how to approach the subject."

"Boy or girl?" asked Harry.

"She is female," said Hermione with a blush.

"Is she a member of Team Potter?" he asked.

"Yes she is," said Hermione going red.

"Then I suggest you tell Ginny how you feel," said Harry. "Do not beat around the bush. You may find that your interest is returned."

"How did you know it was Ginny?" asked Hermione extremely red in the face.

"Only an idiot would not see the looks that the two of you give one another when the other is not looking," said Harry with a smile. "Just talk to her. You will be very surprised at the answer you get in return."

"When did you get so wise Harry?" asked Hermione kissing him on the cheek.

"When the weight of the world was placed on my shoulders," said Harry.

"Oh Harry," said Hermione.

"I should not have said that," Harry said to her. "I am sorry."

"There is nothing for you to be sorry for," she replied. "We all know that you have so much on your mind. You watch out over the school to all hours of the night. I have seen your notations on how to get to the last two Horcruxes. You wander around the halls at night taking the place of the prefects. It is a burden that is hard. Draco and I totally understand how you feel."

"She is right you know," said Draco coming in and sitting in Harry's lap. "I was listening from the door. You work so hard to protect the rest of us. We are learning from you. We know what could happen. We also know that one or more of us could die before this war is over. It is a necessary evil to end the reign of Voldemort."

"The prophecy states," began Harry, but Hermione cut him off.

"We know what the prophecy states Harry," she said. "No where in that prophecy does it say that you need to do it alone. The reason that many of us joined Team Potter was to help you win this war."

"I know," said Harry. "I just cringe at the thought of one of you getting hurt or killed because of Voldemort."

"The only way to stop that is to stop him," said Draco.

"What did Pansy say?" asked Harry changing the subject.

"She said she would be happy to come for private lessons," said Draco. "She also gave me a warning. She said that Crabbe, Goyle, and Warrington are trying to get into the dorm so that they can get their hands on the swords and wands of the founders. They are trying to recruit other members. I think they have Millicent Bulstrode recruited already."

"Then I think it is time to do a few things here in the dorm," said Harry. Draco, please go and get the Head Master and the Heads of House. Hermione, please go and gather the rest of Team Potter. I will be performing some extensive magic and I need the power boost."

Both Hermione and Draco nodded as they stood to leave. Draco grabbed Harry and kissed him full on the lips before he departed. Harry touched his lips for a moment and smiled to himself. He went round and checked to see who was already in the dorm and asked them to come into the common room. He quickly conjured seats in a circle that would accommodate nineteen people. Harry went to the showcases that held the wands of the founders and checked the wards. Unlike the swords, these would not return to him if someone had them. The swords would always return to his hand no matter who was holding them. As the true heir of the founders, he was the only one that would work for. He checked on the wards on the tomes. Nothing was out of the ordinary. Not even Albus was able to penetrate these wards. Harry sat at the head of the circle. He looked over to the marauders map and saw the trickle of teachers and students heading towards the dorm. It was not long before everyone was assembled.

"What is going on Harry?" asked Albus pleasantly as he took his seat.

For an answer, Harry nodded at Draco who related what he learned in the Slytherin common room. There was a nod of understanding as Harry began to outline his plan.

"We know that it is possible to get into a common room that is not of your house," said Harry. "Ron and I were able to do it in our second year. Polyjuice Potion works wonders even in Hogwarts when you want to disguise yourself as someone else. What I would like to do is use the spell that the goblins use. It is called Thief's Downfall. I would like to cast it on the doorway of the common room. That way if someone does like Ron and I did and gets in here, their disguise will fail. If I am successful, I will not only place that spell on this common room, but on the entrances to the other common rooms as well. So for this, I would like the strength of the whole group of you. With enough power I can set it in the wards around the castle as well."

Albus stood up and explained to everyone what they needed to do. There was no doubt in his mind that Harry was going to push his limits to their fullest. Even though he was concerned about Harry, he knew that the young man was indeed correct in the need for it to happen. No one could get their hands on the wands or tomes or many of the other books in this room. The danger was too great for that. Once Albus was sure that everyone knew what to do, he sat down and started pulling in the people he was familiar with. Harry did the same with Draco, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. Having worked with them for so long, it was easy to pull them into the mesh. When Harry had them safely in tuned with himself, he flung the power to Albus who caught it and quickly added it to the circle. When they had the full circle, everyone could see the bright white flow of energy that surrounded them. Harry slowly began the incantation. He pushed out from the Potter Dorm. He hit every single doorway in the castle. When he had that accomplished, he pushed harder and hit the surroundings of the castle. These included Hagrid's hut, the greenhouses, and the gates of Hogwarts themselves. He added more power to the wards that were already there. When he was done, he allowed, Albus and Severus to slowly untangle the others. At last, Harry was released from the cone of power and passed out cold.

Draco and Hermione were weary from the pull of power, but they were able to stagger to Harry. Albus and Severus quickly joined them. Those that were able to stand escorted those that couldn't to their rooms. Severus lifted Harry up and carried him to his bed. He ran a diagnostic over him with his wand.

"He seems to be ok," said Severus. "This was just an awful amount of power he pulled on. I would feel more comfortable if Poppy ran a check on his as well just to make sure."

Minerva nodded and quickly left to go get the nurse. Draco crawled into bed next to Harry and was asleep in moments. Minutes later, Poppy entered the room.

"What has this fool of a child been doing now?" she asked whipping out her wand and scanning Harry.

"He was strengthening the wards on the castle," said Albus. "He was just giving us a little more protection."

Albus quickly filled her in on the finer points of the events. She nodded her head when she at last understood why he did what he did.

"He is going to be fine," said the nurse. "He will probably sleep clean through the night and late into the morning. I will come back and give him another checkup. The same goes for Mr. Malfoy."

"Thank you Poppy," said Albus. "Your concern for the young men is admirable."

"Well I am very partial to both boys," she said with a smile. "They are both such wonderful young men. I just wish they would take it easy every once in awhile."

Everyone laughed at this statement. The four adults stood in the room for a few moments. Harry shifted in his sleep until he felt Draco. Upon touching the blonde, he quieted down into a restful slumber. Smiling the older faculty members left the room.

"What do you intend to do about the Slytherins that are attempting to gain access to items in this dorm?" asked Minerva to Severus.

"For now it seems that we can only keep a watchful eye on them," he replied. "I can't technically do anything to them for talking about it. When they decide to act upon it, then I will step in. I may be forced to expel them if they try something so foolish."

The next few days saw a blur of activity. Valentines Day passed with lots of wonderful gifts. Harry and Draco gave the school a special treat and did a duet for them. From there school was back on track. Things looked like it was going well for everyone. Severus was determined to keep the students from stealing his potions ingredients. That did not stop students from bringing in their own.

One evening, Draco was sitting in the Great Hall with Pansy reviewing some things in DADA. They were not aware that watchful eyes were upon them. Ginny had stationed herself in the Great Hall after her classes to do some of her homework. OWLS were coming up for her soon and she was studying hard so that she would pass. Ginny looked up to see Pansy brush a lock of hair from Draco's face. Draco did not act upon it, but he did not stop her either. She watched as Pansy made a few more subtle hints. From grabbing Draco's arm, she went on to start rubbing his back. Ginny was becoming more livid by the moment. Draco should know better. It may seem innocent to him, but Ginny was a woman. She knew what Pansy was up to. Finally she had enough. She quietly left the hall and went in search of Harry. She found him coaching Dudley in DADA in the common room of Team Potter.

"Excuse me for interrupting," she said. "Harry I think we have a problem."

"What's wrong," asked Harry getting alarmed immediately. "Is someone hurt?"

"Not yet," said Ginny. "I think you need to have a talk with Pansy and Draco."

She spent the next fifteen minutes telling Harry her observations and her suspicions.

"That does seem to be a problem," said Harry.

"You need to put a stop to it," said Ginny fiercely. "BEFORE HE CHEATS!"

"Do you really think Draco would do that to me?" asked Harry tearing up at once.

"She will stop at nothing to get him back and away from you," said Ginny. "I am sorry Harry. I don't want her to ruin what you guys have."

"I guess we better take care of this then," said Harry heading towards the door.

Ginny and Dudley trailed behind him. As they walked down the corridor more members of Team Potter saw the look on his and Ginny's faces and fell in step with him. When they approached the entrance hall, they all received a huge shock. Draco was pointing his finger and fiercely giving Pansy a verbal thrashing.

"WHAT IS THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?" Harry asked loudly.

This caused Draco to jump and spin around. Pansy was trying to hastily close her blouse.

"Draco made a pass at me?" she said pointing her finger at him. "I was trying to make him stop."

The look of shock on Draco's face was a dead giveaway that she had just told a huge lie. Harry was furious. Lipstick was on Draco's face and on his collar. His hair was messed up as if she had jumped on him.

"Lover," said Draco. "I swear to you that I have not done anything. I will even let you use Legilimency on me to prove that I am telling the truth. We can get Severus to give us some Veritaserum so that I can prove to you that I have done nothing wrong."

There were tears in Draco's eyes as he held out his hands beseechingly towards Harry. Harry sent a quick mind probe to Draco. Draco grabbed Harry and practically dragged him into the memory of what had occurred. Harry was getting angrier by the minute. The more he saw the more he wanted to curse Pansy. Harry came out of his lovers mind with a snap. Draco was still standing there crying. Harry beckoned him over. He used the sleeve of his robe to wipe the lipstick off his face and to dry his tears. Pansy meanwhile was trying to discreetly leave the Great Hall.

"DO NOT MOVE," snarled Harry.

Members of Team Potter quickly cut off her retreat. Severus and Albus approached the hall just in time to hear Harry's next words.

"For you lack of decorum and public nudity in the public eye of the school," said Harry. "I will take fifty points from Slytherin House. For your false accusations upon another student, I will take another fifty points. For sexually harassing a student in this school, I will take one hundred points from Slytherin. I will be filing a formal complaint to your Head of House about your behavior. The memory of today's events will be given to the Head Master. You will be lucky to not be expelled. As it is I think you will be at least suspended for awhile. If you are not suspended or expelled, you will serve detention with the Dursleys every night for the rest of the school year. Hogsmeade visits are hereby cancelled for you. You will report to your dorm and stay there unless you are eating, in class, or serving your detention."

"If I can't have him," she said in a deadly whisper. "Then no one can. AVEDA KEDAVRA!"

Her words feel short as stunners from Harry, Albus, Severus, and Hermione all collided with her spell. Harry had her dangling upside down by her ankle using the Levicorpus Spell.

"Well, well, well," said Severus in a dangerous voice. "It would appear you had ulterior motives for being so kind to Professor Potter. It would appear you were trying to get close enough to try and steal away Draco from him. It would also appear that you are in fact a spy here in the castle."

"It looks like she has the Dark Mark," said Hermione in a whisper. "Why would she have that? She is only sixteen."

"An interesting question," said Albus looking at Pansy's left arm. "Harry would you mind letting her down? I don't think she will be a problem any longer."

Harry mumbled the countercharm and watched Pansy hit the floor in a heap. He turned to Draco.

"I did not accept your invitation to use Legilimency because I thought you were lying," he said. "I used it so that I could have the evidence I needed against her. I am sorry you had to go through that."

"I would have done anything at all to prove my innocence to you," said Draco. "I love you to much too ever do anything intentionally to hurt you."

"I know my baby," said Harry holding him as Draco sobbed into his shoulder. "Hermione and Ginny, would you please take Draco to our room and sit with him for me. I will be there as soon as I am done here."

Both girls nodded and took the sobbing Draco and escorted him out of the Great Hall. Harry turned back to the scene before him. Pansy was helped to her feet and being escorted to a small room to await the Aurors.

"Sonorus," said Albus. "All students are to report immediately to the Great Hall. All teachers are to present themselves here as well. Quietus!"

Draco came back in with red eyes. Hermione and Ginny were by his side. Albus walked over to them and whispered some words of encouragement. The trio nodded and sat at their table. Soon the Great Hall was filled with the students.

"It would appear that there is at least one student in this school that has been branded with the Dark Mark," said Albus. "Professor Potter and I will check each and every student and faculty member for the Mark. We will start with the faculty. It you do not have the Mark then please guard the perimeter to prevent anyone who does from leaving."

Harry and Albus made their rounds through the professors. None of them had the Dark Mark. As Albus nodded to each, they stationed themselves around the perimeter of the hall. To prove a point that there was no favorites, Albus and Harry started with Team Potter. When they were cleared, they too were instructed to surround the perimeter. Albus and Harry started with Gryffindor. When the student was cleared, they were allowed to leave with instructions to head straight back to their common room. Harry and Albus proceeded next to the Hufflepuff table. Once more the students were cleared and they left with their instructions. From there Harry and Albus went to Ravenclaw. Here they found a seventh year with the Dark Mark. Like Pansy, her wand was taken, and she was led to the chamber that held the Slytherin. There were a handful of students at the Slytherin table that were looking uncomfortable. Albus and Harry took their time in examining each of the students. There was no less than six more Slytherins that bore the mark. Among them were Marcus Flint, Crabbe, Goyle, Warrington, and Millicent Bulstrode. Their wands were confiscated and they were led away. The rest of Slytherin House was dismissed to their common room.

"I think I will start examining the houses for Dark objects," said Harry to Albus. "Each Professor and you already know what is in the rooms of Team Potter. I will work with each Head of House and search the rooms. I will go in the same order that we did with this."

Albus nodded his head. Harry gestured to Hermione, Draco, and Ginny. They walked over to Minerva who led them out of the hall. The fat lady opened up and they entered. They split up into two teams and made their way up to the dorm rooms. Thankfully, there were only a couple of items that were on Petunia's banned list that was present. Harry and Minerva took ten points apiece for each item found. Harry and his group met up with Pomona and the same routine followed. Minor infractions resulting in point loss, but nothing dangerous was found. At Ravenclaw, they were met by Filius and they repeated the routine. The girl with the Dark Mark had a minor dark object. Harry quickly confiscated it and had the rest of her dorm mates pack up her belongings.

"Send them to the Great Hall when you are done," he said. "She will not be coming back to Ravenclaw House."

Severus led the procession to the dungeons and into Slytherin common room. It took longer here as more dark items were found. Each was confiscated. If the person who did not have the dark mark had a possession, they lost points and received a detention. Hermione was keeping notes of all the names of those said students who were in possession of the items. When it was all said and done, they had confiscated over fifty dark items, and more than one hundred banned items.

"Hermione," said Harry. "I want notices to go up that we will be doing this once a month."

Hermione handed the list she made to Severus and left to do as Harry asked.

"This is absolutely ridiculous," said Severus. "To think it has come to us having to do dorm checks to see who is attempting to smuggle in dark artifacts."

He and Harry started placing the items into a crate as Ginny cataloged them. When they were done, Harry waved his wand and the crate vanished and reappeared in Albus' office. They left the Slytherin common room, and Harry made it back to his own room so that he could be with Draco. Harry had kept him busy on purpose. He did not want Draco to think about what had happened in the Great hall. When he entered his room, he saw Draco in a ball on the bed crying. Harry's heart shredded as he saw the pain his lover was in. Harry quickly climbed into the bed and wrapped his arms around Draco.

"I would never do anything to jeopardize our relationship," said Draco through his tears. "I love you entirely too much for that."

"I know," said Harry softly. "You never have to worry about me not trusting you. Our lives are too entwined now for us to ever split apart. No one will ever be able to come between us. I hope you know that I would do anything for you. I would fight anyone for you. I would even die for you if it meant that you would be safe, healthy, and sound. You are my entire world."

_I give to you the hub of a tire_

_It is a mark of my affection._

_I would give to you a whole fleet of cars _

_To prove, that I love you._

_I would give to you the petal of a rose_

_To show how much I care._

_I would give to you the whole garden_

_To prove, that I want you._

_I would give to you a star_

_To show how much I cry for you._

_I would give to you the galaxy_

_To prove, that I desire you._

_I would give to you a drop of blood_

_To show how much I need you._

_I would give to you my life_

_To prove, that you are the one._

"That is beautiful," said Draco. "Who sings that?"

"No one does lover," said Harry. "It is a bit of poetry that I wrote just for you."

"Oh Harry," said Draco. "I absolutely love it. You are so good to me."

"You are the air that I breathe," said Harry.

Draco reached up and grabbed Harry by the neck and crushed his lips to Harry's with desire and lust in his eyes. They made love a couple times that evening. Later in the evening, Harry placed the sheet of parchment with the poem on it in a frame. He left it on Draco's desk. The next day, Draco had placed it on the wall for everyone to see.

"_I would give to you"_ became the standard of the Potter Dorm. Copies circulated the school. Harry received a letter from the Daily Prophet asking to print the poem. Harry wrote them back saying that it was no longer his poem to give.

Harry and Draco were met by Petunia the following Saturday. Molly and Narcissa were already seated at the table when Harry and Draco entered the room.

"We want to tell you guys about some things for the wedding," said Petunia. "Sit!"

Harry and Draco grinned and sat together on the couch.

"The flowers will be red and white roses," said Narcissa. "You will both be in a black tux. Harry will wear a red shirt, and Draco will wear a green one. Your bridesmaids will be in lavender, and your groomsmen will be in sapphire blue."

"That sounds interesting," said Harry. "I like the mixture of colors."

"We thought so too," said Molly. "As your engagement bands are already so beautiful, we suggest that you go with a plain band of platinum with a single diamond chip set in it."

"That is fine with me," said Draco. "We are one in saying that we defer to your judgment in this."

"I'm so glad you said that," Petunia smirked. "We believe that you should write your own vows for the wedding. We also believe that each of you should sing a song to the other for the ceremony. I suggest you choose your song wisely."

Harry and Draco smirked at each other. That part would be easy.

"We only have one request," said Harry. "That is we have the wedding here at Hogwarts. It is where Draco and I finally became whole."

"Splendid," said Narcissa. "Harry there is one small thing we need to ask. Who will be walking down the aisle with you? I will be walking with Draco."

"Well," said Harry. "Personally I think both you and Mother Molly should walk with Draco. I of course would be honored to have my Aunt and Uncle walk me down the aisle. That is, if they would like to."

"You know we would both be delighted to walk you down the aisle," said Petunia with a big smile. "We think that Dudley, Neville, and Luna should all be ushers."

"I think they would enjoy that," said Draco. "They are very nice people and I hope that someday they find the happiness that Harry and I have."

The group finished with their talk about the wedding and Harry and Draco left. Harry had papers to grade and Draco had a test to finish studying for. Life was perfectly normal for Harry for once in his life. At the moment, all he had to worry about was grading papers and planning his wedding.

What he didn't know was that his world would soon be turned upside down.

AUTHOR'S NOTE – Thank you for your patience with me. I had to bring in just a little bit of drama into the love story. As promised, I did not put a song in. I left a cliff hanger because we still have six chapters to go and we still have plenty of bad guys. I hope you enjoyed the test of the faith that Harry and Draco have for each other.


	15. Minerva's Menagerie

DISCLAIMER – Harry Potter and its affiliates are the sole property of JK Rowling.

DISCLAIMER – This is a gay slash between Draco and Harry. If you are uncomfortable with gay rights, or homosexual innuendos, then I humbly ask you to not embarrass you or me by reading beyond this point. Thank you for your understanding.

DISCLAIMER – This note is to all other authors. If I have duplicated something that you have written, then it is purely unintentional and coincidental with so many hundreds of thousands of stories I am bound to do something that similar to someone else's. I strive to make my stories unique and interesting.

NOTE – This story is attracting so much attention, that I have decided that when I am done with this trilogy that I will begin on a book all of my own making. I don't know much about publishing and such, but if I can get a publisher to work with, then I can put it on the shelves to sell. This doesn't mean that I will quit writing Harry Potter fan fiction though.

**Chapter 15 – Minerva's Menagerie**

It was a crisp Saturday morning in the beginning of March. Harry was wondering what he was going to do with his weekend. He looked over to Draco who was still sleeping. The blond had a small smile on his lips as he dreamed something pleasant. Harry quietly got up from the bed and grabbed his camera. He snapped the picture and left. He wanted this picture for sentimental purposes. Thanks to Hermione and Ginny, their scrap book of the last eight months was a large one. Another book that grew daily was the love letters between Harry and Draco. It had a special stand in the common room where Harry and Draco continued to write love notes to one another. Harry enjoyed the fact that Draco kept up with writing to him. Even if it was sentences made up of a few words, they went back and forth talking through the book to each other when they were unable to say it in person. Their scrap book was also on a podium in the common room. Harry glanced around the common room with a smile. He went to each cage that belonged to an owl or phoenix and cleaned it. He checked the wards on the wand cases and of the tomes. This was a daily morning ritual for him. He glanced around and saw that many of the doors of the rooms were open. This meant that many of the occupants of the fourteen rooms were at breakfast in the Great Hall. Hermione had finally taken Harry's advice and talked with Ginny. She was surprised to find that Ginny reciprocated the interest. Now the two girls shared a room. The fourteenth room was a guest room. Narcissa frequented the castle often. Dobby appeared and placed breakfast for Harry on the desk. He smiled at the elf and sat down to eat. Draco came out of the room a few minutes later and sat on the edge of the desk. Winky handed him a cup of coffee. Draco used Harry's wand and conjured up a red rose and handed it to her. She smiled and left quickly. That gave Harry an enormous idea. Draco was in for a surprise this evening. To pull this off, he needed the help of Hermione and Ginny. The smell of Harry and Draco's breakfast woke up the rest of the dorm. Those that were late risers on the weekends left to head to the Great Hall to eat.

"So what is on the agenda for today?" asked Draco.

"I have no idea," said Harry. "I was hoping that you had an idea."

"Nothing comes to mind yet," said Draco. "I will think on it and see if I can come up with something."

Harry and Draco headed back into their room to change. They both wore loose fitting jeans and light pull over sweaters. As they exited their room back into the common room, Minerva was standing there.

"Ah Harry and Draco," she said with a smile. "I was hoping that today we could work on Animagus with Team Potter."

"That sounds like a good idea," said Harry. "Have you told the rest of the dorm yet?"

"I have sent runners with the news," she said with a grin. "Albus would like to talk with you as well this evening. He was cryptic with his message."

"Well," said Harry watching as members of Team Potter trickled into the common room. "I guess I will go talk with him when we are done here. What are these potions Minerva?"

She did not answer him at first. She simply waited until the rest of the group had assembled. Harry took this to mean she would explain it only once. After all, this was the way Minerva did things. Severus entered the room with a clipboard and a piece of parchment. He sat at Harry's desk and waited expectantly. Albus joined the group a few minutes later.

You all know why you are here," Minerva began in her brisk manner. "This will be an Animagus training class. As none of you have done this before, I will be giving instruction every Saturday until the end of term."

"Excuse me," said Albus politely. "You have made one small error Minerva."

"What was that?" she asked confused.

"One of the young people sitting before you has already transformed into their Animagus form," he said with a smile.

"Who did?" she asked really confused now.

Harry stood up and transformed into his lion form. He walked over to her for a scratch behind the ears. She nodded her head and obliged him.

"I should have known," she said with a smile.

Harry transformed back and went back to his seat. She looked around the room. When no one else got up to transform, she continued.

"I would like each of you to drink this potion," she said lifting a bottle. "It will tell you what your Animagus form will be. From there we will continue. As Harry has already transformed, we shall have him go first so that you can see what the potion does."

Harry stood up again and took a vial of potion. He drank it down with a grimace and patiently waited. Within seconds, a black cloud appeared next to him. He watched as the form of the lion appeared in the cloud. Severus quickly wrote that down.

"So you see," began Minerva. "Your animal form…."

She stopped in midsentence as Harry's animal shifted shapes. Albus sat there with that twinkle in his eyes as the lion turned into a snake.

"It would appear that Harry will be a multi Animagus," said Minerva. "He will be able to transform into a lion and a snake."

Albus chuckled quickly and pointed to Harry's cloud. The animal had changed from a snake into an eagle.

"I have never heard of anyone having more that two," said Minerva. "Even having two is a rare thing."

Severus cleared his throat and pointed once more to the cloud. The eagle became a badger. This time Minerva did not even bother to reply. She waited to see if it would change yet again. Within moments, the badger became a phoenix. Apollo and Artemis both trilled to see that form appear. When the phoenix form turned, the cloud dissolved.

"Well," said Minerva perplexed. "That is five different animals and one of them a magical creature. That is amazing. I believe that Harry has broken all sorts of records with this one."

"I think you are correct," said Albus with a smile. "I believe it has something to do with Harry being the heir to all four founders. However, I firmly believe that Harry can take the form of any animal he desires. I could possibly be wrong, but I don't think so. It will just be easier to transform into those five forms."

"It just means that Harry has a lot more studying to do than the others," said Minerva with a smile. "Draco, why don't you go next?"

Draco got up and followed Harry's example. This time Minerva did not say anything until she was sure she would not insert another foot into her mouth. Like Harry, Draco would be a multi Animagus. His forms were the dragon, badger, and snake.

"This is amazing," said Minerva. "I think we have more surprises in store for us this afternoon. Miss Granger, it is your turn."

Hermione took her turn and was thrilled to know that she would be an eagle, and a Unicorn. Ron went next and was delighted to be a panther and a lion. Ginny stood and took her turn and discovered she would be a lion and a fox. Hermione snickered at this. Ginny stuck her tongue out at her in retaliation. Neville was nervous as he took his turn. When it was discovered that he would be a lion and a badger, he breathed a sigh of relief. Luna went next and discovered her eagle and badger forms. Dudley surprised everyone by discovering that he would be able to be a badger and a snake. The Patil twins enjoyed the fact that Parvati would be a raven and Padma would be a falcon. Seamus was happy with his owl form. Dean was a little disappointed to discover that he would be a horse. Soft hearted Hannah surprised no one with her doe. Susan Bones was delighted that she would be a wolf. Blaise reveled in the fact that he would be a tiger. When everyone was seated, Minerva took over again.

"What I want for each and every one of you to do is to study the anatomy of your animal or animals that you are able to transform into," she said. You will find ample information on that in the books in this dorm."

She spent the next couple of hours detailing what it meant to be an Animagus and the finer points of transforming. She transformed into her cat Animagus and walked around the room. Harry decided he wanted a bit of fun. He quickly pictured his eagle shape and with a small pop transformed. He flew at her causing her to run form the room. The rest of the group roared with laughter. A few minutes later, she came back in with a cage holding the eagle.

"This is what happens when you decide to be a smart ass," she commented causing the room to erupt in peals of laughter once again.

Harry stood there patiently letting her think she had won. He shifted on the spot and apparated out of the cage transforming back into his human self as he did so. He appeared behind her and covered her eyes.

"Guess who," he said.

His actions sobered everyone up. While he was just having fun, Harry had done something that no one ever thought possible. Even Albus was at a loss for words. When Harry realized that no one was laughing anymore, he looked around.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "I was just playing. I'm sorry if I went too far."

"That's not it Harry," said Minerva. "The playing part was fine. You just gave us a shock is all."

"In what way?" he asked growing alarmed. "What did I do wrong?"

"Nothing," said Albus finally getting his voice back.

"Harry you should not have been able to do that," said Hermione.

"What transform into an eagle?" he asked really confused now.

"NO," said Hermione getting exasperated with him. "You apparated while in your Animagus form. There is no record of anyone ever being able to do that before."

"Are you serious?" he asked turning to Albus.

"She is telling you the truth Harry," said the old wizard quietly. "You are the first I have ever seen apparate on the school grounds unless I lower the wards. You are the first person to ever have more than two Animagus forms. Now you can apparate out of a magical cage while in your Animagus form. Even I can not do that. You are indeed a very rare and special individual."

Harry sat at Draco's desk and started thumping his head on it. Draco quickly crossed to his lover to comfort him.

"Why is Harry upset by that?" asked Dudley. "I don't understand."

"All Harry has ever wanted was to be normal," explained Draco. "Once again it is being shown just how unusual he really is."

"I am still a little confused," said Dudley.

"Let me try to explain," said Albus kindly. "Harry is the only known person to ever survive the Killing Curse. He did it when he was a year old. No one knows how or why. Now he finds out that he is the heir to all four founders of the school. Again this marks him as unusual. Do you follow me so far?"

"Yes," said Dudley. "I think so."

"Now as Head Master I am the only one that can lift or lower the wards on the castle," continued Dumbledore. "Harry can undo anything I do at any given moment with the twitch of his hand. This again marks him as different. It is proven that Harry can apparate and disapparate anywhere on the grounds he wants without the wards lowered. Today we learn that he has more Animagus forms than any wizard on the planet. Now, add the fact that he is the only known wizard alive who can apparate while in his animal form, and you have a very unique individual."

"Why does that make him sad?" asked Dudley. "All of that is really awesome. I will be happy if I can do half of what he can do."

"Keep one thing in mind," said Ginny kindly. "All Harry ever wanted was to be normal. He did not want to be a wizard. He wanted a normal childhood with parents of his own. Now he has the most feared dark wizard in history that wants him dead. His parents are all people like your mom and mine that have adopted him. It doesn't make him normal. It makes him stand out. Every time he finds out he can do something that we can't, it saddens him even more."

"I understand now," said Dudley as he watched Draco rocking a crying Harry. "With all the worrying he does for us, I can see where it would be hard to always stand out."

Nods went around as many got up to help Draco comfort Harry. There was a knock on the door and Dudley went to open it. Petunia and Vernon were standing there with a smile on their faces. Dudley moved to the side so that they could enter. When they saw Harry crying, both became alarmed. They both rushed over to him.

"What is wrong son?" asked Vernon. "What happened?"

"Nothing serious," assured Albus. "He has just had a little bit of a shock. He will be fine. What brings you to the dorm?"

"I wanted to tell Harry that I would be with Petunia when she walked down the aisle with Harry," said Vernon patting Harry on the back. "When she told me what Harry asked for, I was happy to accept. It would be an honor to walk with him."

"Thanks Uncle Vernon," said Harry. "That bit of news makes me feel better. I am honored that you are walking with me."

"You are like a second son," said Vernon. "Petunia and I will not have it any other way."

Draco and Dudley smiled at this remark. Harry's family was growing.

"Well," said Harry. "As I am such a special case, I can help all of you with your Animagus training."

"Harry there is something I want to discuss with you," said Albus.

"Yes Minerva mentioned that before we started," he replied. "Is this a private matter?"

"No," said Albus. "Starting next year, I was thinking about having a fifth house here at Hogwarts, or maybe even finishing out this year with one."

"That would be cool," said Harry. "What will you call it?"

"Dolt," said Hermione. "I swear, for someone as smart as you are, you can be so thick at times. He wants to name it Potter House silly."

"Potter House," said Harry repeating the words.

"We could use your fifth Animagus form as the symbol of the house," said Albus. "We can use the phoenix as the mascot. This will mean a fifth hourglass on the wall. We can use a combination of all four stones from the other houses, or we can use diamonds. There will be a fifth quidditch team."

"I think diamonds," said Harry. "The house colors could be white and silver. We may have to resort the students so that we can have a few from each year in the house."

"That is an excellent suggestion," said Albus with a twinkle in his eyes. "Of course you realize that means you will be Head of House."

"I sort of figured that," said Harry. "If you think that is best."

"I think it is," said Albus. "Unfortunately that means you will have to take your place up at the head table. It also means that we have a bit of magic to do to get this started. In addition we have to give interviews to book publishers so that they can update their books."

"Great," said Harry. "Albus you know how I feel about being in the spotlight. Can you handle the press and the interviews? I already get more coverage than I want. I can bet money that Rita Skeeter will have a field day with this."

"I think that we can put a stop to that," said Albus with a knowing smile. "That is if you and Draco would like to make an investment and a purchase."

"What devious plan are you concocting now?" asked Harry with suspicion.

"Why don't you and Draco buy the newspaper?" said Albus with a smug smile. "This way you can print what you want printed and no one will be able to go against your wishes."

"That is actually not a bad idea," said Draco. "What do you say lover? Would you like a second source of income to leave to our descendants?"

"I like the sound of that," said Harry. "If it is ok with you lover, then it is ok with me."

"I will get the paperwork started for you," said Albus with a smile. "Draco, you will need to be near Harry while we work the magic for Hogwarts. He will be drained and tired when we are done. I will be just as weary as he is. So if you could all see to our needs when we are done, I would appreciate it. Minerva, gather the students in the Great Hall and resort them. The only change will be to those coming into Potter House. Vernon and Petunia have some house elves set up the east tower for a new wing. The castle will respond when Harry and I start the magic."

The Dursleys and Minerva nodded and went about the tasks assigned to them. It was not long before they heard Minerva's magical voice sounding through the corridor calling all students to the Great Hall. Harry and Albus sat in chairs opposite each other. They linked hands and from there they linked magic. Head Master and owner combined forces and set up the necessary changes in the castle. The casting of the magic and the changing lasted for just over two hours. Albus and Harry were pushed to the extremes of their endurance. When they were done, the difference in the castle could be felt. Ron, Draco, and Blaise put Harry to bed, and Severus, Neville, Dean, and Seamus got Albus into bed in the guest room. When both men were lying comfortable and snoring softly, they all met back in the common room.

"I guess this means that many of you will be heading up to the new dorm," said Severus. "After all, it will need its prefects and leaders."

"I am staying here in this dorm with Harry," said Draco.

"Ginny and I will also be staying here," said Hermione. "I think the rest of the group will be comfortable in the new tower."

Severus nodded his head and sent the rest of the students to pack. When each person finished packing, they left and headed up to the new dorm. As they left their room, a blank wall took its place. Hermione and Ginny, along with Draco watched each time a door disappeared. They all knew that the room behind it vanished.

"I guess we have more room now to put up more pictures and things," said Hermione. "It seems the common room is staying the same size. It leaves four rooms for us and guests, a room for Dobby and Winky, a storage room, and a small room that is being turned into a lab for us. I wonder if we can get a training room here also."

As the words came out of her mouth, a door appeared. Upon inspection, they discovered that the castle gave Hermione her wish. Hermione, Ginny, and Draco followed Severus as they went to the new wing. True to Harry's wishes, the room was decorated in white and silver. A picture of Albus appeared over the entrance to the dorm. A password was not needed for this dorm. You simply had to put your palm flat against the palm of Albus' hand in the portrait. If you were a teacher or a member of the dorm, you were allowed to enter. After looking at all of the beds with their silver curtains and white bedspreads, they made their way down to the Great Hall. A fifth hourglass could be seen with diamonds in it. Potter House was currently in second place with the most points. Hufflepuff was in first place a mere fifteen points in the lead. Gryffindor was in third with Ravenclaw three points behind them. Slytherin was in last place. This was mainly due to the points that had been deducted because of Pansy's actions and the rest of the students who had dark objects in their rooms.

"So I guess Harry and the Head Master switched all of the points that were won and lost by other houses to Potter House when the sorting hat moved them to the new dorm," said Hermione. "I wonder what qualities the hat looks for to place someone in Potter House."

"That would be love and leadership," said Minerva. "The more love they have in their hearts and the better they are at leading, the better chance they stand of getting into this elite house. The other Heads and I have had to make some changes to our own houses. We have had to appoint new team captains as well as prefects."

"That would only make sense," said Ginny. "With many of them moving over to Potter House, I would imagine a shortage in the other houses is a lot. Not to mention Professor Snape losing so many students to expulsion. Draco and Blaise were his last remaining good people in Slytherin."

"Well at least I know that they are going to be outstanding adults," said Severus. "Slytherin has indeed taken a beating this year. Maybe next year with the new security measures we can finally come out and shine more."

"I would like to see that," said Ginny. "We know that there are good Slytherins in there. You, Blaise, and Draco are prime examples of that."

All three of them blushed at her compliment. The group disbanded after that. Each had work to do. Some in the instance of the students had studying to do. Draco wanted more than anything to go and check on Harry and Albus. When he arrived, he saw that Albus was up. After making sure the old wizard was ok, Draco went to his room. When he entered, the sight before him made him scream so loud that others around the castle could here it. Harry was in the bed thrashing around trying to catch his breath. He was turning blue in the face due to lack of oxygen. Draco rushed over to him. Albus was not far behind. Albus turned and sent patronuses to all over the castle. Poppy, Minerva, Severus, Hermione, Ginny, Filius, and Pomona came on the run. They all held their sides from breathing so hard. When they saw the state that Harry was in, they all went into action immediately.

Harry slept in peace. He and Albus had succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. While sleeping, Harry accidentally drifted too far.

"Ahhh," said a menacing voice in his head. "At last I have access to you again. You only think you have started making headway. The destruction of my Horcruxes will cost you. When I am done with you, you will beg me to kill you. While I am torturing you, I will learn all of your dirty little secrets."

"You can rot in hell," said Harry trying to build up a defense. "I have beaten you before and I can do so again."

"No," said Voldemort. "This time there is no way for anyone to intercede on your behalf. You are alone and at my mercy. Now let the game begin. CRUCIO!"

Harry screamed and writhed in pain. He could not catch his breath. Voldemort stopped the curse and examined Harry's mind.

"Aw," said Voldemort in a mocking voice. "True love. Harry and his little play mate. He is next on my list. I think I will keep you alive long enough to watch me kill him right in front of you."

"Leave Draco out of this," Harry said trying to run. "This is between you and me."

"CRUCIO," said Voldemort again effectively shutting Harry up and causing him to drop in pain. "I see you have found the wand of Slytherin. I will be obtaining that soon. Oh and what is this? The great Salazar had a sword too. How delightful. I will be coming for that object as well."

Draco climbed into the bed near Harry. He was trying to figure out how to get to his lover without sustaining injury. Albus pulled out his wand and stunned Harry. Poppy ran her wand over him.

"He is being attacked in his mind," she reported. "There is nothing I can do to help him."

"The only way to save Harry is for us to enter the fight on that plane," said Albus. "Draco, you need to link with us, but leave enough of yourself separated so that you can link with Harry."

Draco looked shocked at seeing Harry like this. Albus reached over and slightly shook him.

"Draco," he said sharply. "Pull yourself together, or we will lose Harry."

"Let go of me," said Harry. "You have the information you want. Either kill me or let me go."

"So tired of this game already Potter?" asked Voldemort. "I have news for you. I have only just begun. CRUCIO!"

Harry screamed in pain. Voldemort raked his mind for more information.

"How interesting," Voldemort stated. "There are members of my group that are descendants of Salazar and the other founders. How very, very interesting this information is. Tell me their names and I will release the spell for a few moments. If you don't, I will keep it on and probably snap your mind. How will your little lover boy feel about marrying a vegetable?"

Voldemort released the spell. Harry sobbed as he lay panting on the floor.

"You have two seconds to tell me," said Voldemort.

"Lucius is a descendant of Salazar and Rowena," said Harry. "Wormtail is a descendant of Godric and Helga. Pansy Parkinson is a descendant of Godric and Salazar. Deloris Umbridge is a descendant of Helga and Rowena."

Harry left out that Bellatrix was also a member of the Slytherin line. It did not matter that Voldemort knew about Lucius and Delores. Both had died due to being given the Dementor's Kiss and their bodies eventually gave out. He did not find it necessary to tell him about Crabbe being a descendant of Helga.

Thank you for telling me," mocked Voldemort. "CRUCIO!"

Albus quickly linked the professors together. From there he pulled the school nurse into the meld. Ginny and Hermione had already melded together and were waiting for Albus to pull them into the mesh. He gathered the strains of their power and pulled them in. From there he threw it at Draco who was beginning his meld with Harry. As Draco entered Harry's mind, Albus and the rest of the group melded with him and entered at the same time. The scene before them was frightening. Monsters were milling around. They could hear Harry screaming in the background and Voldemort laughing cruelly while he tortured him. The group acted as a cohesive unit. Soon spells were flying into the midst of the monsters. It was a hard fight, but for every monster they took out, it took them one step closer to Harry. Harry's screams were becoming weaker by the moment. The group put in more effort. The battle was nearly over. Draco finally made it through and stood in front of Voldemort. He threw his body over Harry's to shield it.

"The little love birds are together again," said Voldemort with a mocking laugh. "Watch Potter as I destroy your loved one. You should be used to this by now. You have lost your parents and your dear godfather because of me. Now you get to watch as I torture your lover to death."

He pointed his wand at Draco and screamed CRUCIO. Draco took Harry's place as the one writhing in pain and agony. Harry was too weak to get up to do anything. He sobbed as Draco's cries tore at him. His dream had come to pass. Voldemort was using Draco as a tool to hurt Harry.

"STOP RIGHT THERE TOM," commanded Albus. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"

"Dumbledore," said Voldemort releasing Draco from the curse. "You are an old fool who should have died long ago. Now I get my chance to kill you. AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Albus vanished in a second and reappeared somewhere else. The battle between the two started. Severus soon joined in and Voldemort was battling the two. Neither side would back down. Minerva and Poppy rushed over and was tending to the two young men.

"Remember your love for one another," said Minerva. "It is the key that will stop this. Please remember."

"I remember," said Harry standing. "NOW I AM PISSED!"

The glow that had surrounded Harry and Draco once before now surrounded them again. Both young men stood there in full battle glory. They were both bathed in the golden glow. As one they lifted their hands.

"ACCIO POTTER SWORDS," they said.

Moments later each held their swords. They clasped hands and walked forward together.

"Severus and Albus," called Harry. "Please move aside. It is time to teach this abomination a lesson about attacking someone in their mind."

Severus and Albus went back to the group where they shielded the rest of the group in case any spells were sent in their direction. They watched as Voldemort summoned the sword of Slytherin. They saw his glee turn to shock when Harry sent the sword away.

"How is that possible?" he asked in a shocked voice deflecting a spell from Draco.

"Draco is an heir to Salazar Slytherin also," said Harry. "I am an heir to all four founders. YOU are in deep shit. There are members of Salazar's line with a stronger claim than yours. YOU are a disappointment, a mere failure. NOW it is time for you to learn your lesson."

The battle raged. For every spell that Voldemort threw, Harry and Draco countered it easily and sent spells of their own. Voldemort was backed away until there was nothing substantial about his form in Harry's mind.

"YOU HAVE NOT WON," screamed Voldemort. "I WILL BE VICTORIOUS."

"Not as long as I am alive," said Harry. "We will win."

Harry and Draco had done so much damage to Voldemort, that they knew he would not try that trick again. Harry turned to the others.

"He knows about the wands," he informed them. "He also knows about Lucius, Pansy, Wormtail, and Delores Umbridge. I was able to keep the tomes and Bellatrix from him. He doesn't need to know about that. He also doesn't know that I know where his last two Horcruxes are either. I was able to look into his mind. He thinks both are safe. It is time to prove him wrong. I have told you all this here, because I will be in no condition to tell you when we leave."

The others nodded.

"Thank you all for coming here to save me," said Harry.

"We told you," said Hermione. "We told you that, that is what we are here for. Now will you believe us?"

"I never doubted you in the slightest," said Harry. "Can you all get us home? I need some rest."

Albus chuckled as he quickly unwove everyone. When they were all back to themselves, Severus and Filius quickly changed the boys into pajamas and tucked them into bed. Albus was led back to his office and his rooms where he too could get some sleep. Minerva set it up with the rest of the faculty and key members of the Potter House to come and sit throughout the night in shifts to watch over the guys.

"That was beautiful the way they glowed gold like that," said Poppy.

"Love is a powerful thing," said Filius. "For these two, it is their greatest defense and their greatest weapon."

"Poor Harry had to relive that dream he had at the beginning of the year," said Pomona sadly.

"I feel bad for both of them," said Professor Sinistra. "From what you have said, they have both been through hell and back tonight."

"That is putting it mildly," said Hermione looking up from her book. "The idea that Voldemort would use one or the other to hurt the opposite is what we are trying to stop."

"We definantly don't want Harry to go through more hurt and pain in his life," said Ginny ticking off the names of all the people in Harry's life that he had already lost.

"Well it is time for us to start playing a more active role in this war," said Madam Hooch. "Those two young men need not do this alone."

"That is something we all can agree on," said Hagrid.

AUTHOR'S NOTE – I will end this chapter here. Now you have an idea of who will be what and how the plot will thicken. Do not worry that you will be disappointed. The love will still be there and the fight will continue. Please keep those wonderful reviews coming. Thank you in advance.


	16. Does it Get Better Than This?

DISCLAIMER – Harry Potter and its affiliates are the sole property of JK Rowling.

DISCLAIMER – Any similarities between my story and anyone else's is purely coincidental.

DISCLAIER – This is a gay love story between Draco and Harry. If you are offended by gay rights or homosexual innuendos, then I humbly ask you to not read beyond this point. Thank you for your consideration.

NOTE – Thank you to all my faithful readers. For Love of a Slytherin is by far the favorite story of many of you. Your patronage is deeply appreciated. Your reviews give me the incentive to continue with the story. I hope that you have enjoyed it thus far.

**Chapter 16 – Does It Get Better Than This?**

Harry and Draco were sluggish the next day, but both were able to wake and go about their business. Albus took over DADA classes for the day and Draco was excused from his studies for the day. Both young men were encouraged by Poppy to walk about as much as possible to regain their blood flow. Harry and Draco walked down to Hagrid's hut where they picked up Fang for a walk around the lake. Hagrid was teaching class and was delighted to see the boys. Hagrid was teaching his class about Unicorns that day. The class was delighted when the lead stallion walked up to Harry and bowed its regal head to him. They were further delighted when Harry bowed at the waist in return and then reached his hand to stroke the silky nose. Hagrid was standing there looking like a fish out of water. He had just finished telling the class that adult unicorns did not like the touch of a male and here was Harry rubbing the nose of the lead stallion.

"Show off," whispered Draco as they walked away.

They laughed as they could hear Hagrid in the background try and correct his insight as to what had happened. The boys locked hands and continued to walk around the lake. Fang trotted along side of them occasionally running after a bird or deer to the amusement of the couple. The day had proven to be a beautiful one. As they finished their circuit around the lake, they headed back to the castle. Harry and Draco both felt better. Draco could see that there was something on Harry's mind.

"What is it?" asked Draco. "You are kind of lost in thought there. Is something wrong?"

"No," said Harry with a smile for his lover. "I am just thinking about something that would be great for us. Also I am thinking about our wedding. I can't wait for it to be official."

"That will be wonderful," said Draco. "At least the moms aren't going crazy with things. I thought my mother would be going a little crazy."

"I have no doubt that Mother Molly would be also," said Harry with a laugh. "Maybe Aunt Petunia is keeping them somewhat in check."

"Maybe," said Draco with a smile. "At least we are letting them be happy and running things. The only thing we have to worry about is showing up and saying I DO."

The boys headed into the castle. Harry gave Draco a quick kiss and excused himself. He went in search of Hermione and Ginny. He found the ladies sitting at the Potter table studying. Ginny had her OWLS coming up and Hermione was sitting her NEWTS at the same time. Every now and then Ginny would ask a question and Hermione would look over and help her. Harry approached the ladies quietly and surprised both with a kiss on the cheek.

"Hello my lovelies," he said. "How would you two like to help me woo Draco tonight?'

"What did you have in mind?" asked Hermione.

Harry spent the next fifteen minutes going over his ideas. Ginny and Hermione would add or subtract something from the thoughts occasionally. Finally they had all the kinks worked out as to how they would do it. He pulled out two slim boxes containing a special surprise in them handed them to Hermione. Harry then gave them another kiss on the cheek and left them to their studies. They had plenty of time to work on it. Harry went to Severus and Minerva and told them what was going to happen that evening. Both were delighted with the idea and asked to help. Harry gave them their roles to play and they assured him that he could count on them. Harry gave them a bow and left. He had business to attend to with the Head Master.

Harry walked up the stairs to Albus' office. He knocked politely on the door and waited for the old mage to open it. When Albus saw Harry he beamed at the young man.

"Harry," he exclaimed. "What a pleasant surprise. It is good to see you up and about today. What can I do for you my boy?"

"I want to go to Gringotts," said Harry.

"Well you certainly don't need my permission for that," said Albus with a confused look on his face.

"I know," said Harry quickly. "But I do need your help. I am going after the cup of Helga Hufflepuff and of course that portion of Voldemort's soul. I am not sure I can do it alone."

"Yes after the trouble last night it would be prudent to act quickly," said Albus. "I am free at this time if you want to go."

"I think that might be good," said Harry summoning his and Godric's swords. "We also need to get the paperwork set up for the purchase of the Daily Prophet while we are there."

"That is good thinking," said Albus taking the sword of Gryffindor from Harry. "We can just tell the goblin in charge of your accounts what you want and have the papers drawn up and sent here for you and Draco's approval and signature."

"That is what I was thinking," said Harry taking the arm of the older wizard.

Harry turned on the spot and apparated them to the front doors of Gringotts. They entered the bank and were met by a couple of goblins. Harry bowed low to them before addressing them.

"I need to speak with Griphook if he is free," said Harry to the floor attendant.

"Of course Mr. Potter," said the goblin and hurried away.

A few minutes later she came back followed by Griphook. Harry thanked her pleasantly for her help and turned his attention to Griphook.

"I have something very important that I wish to discuss with you and the manager of the bank," said Harry quietly. "This is a matter of extreme importance and dire consequences."

Griphook noticed that Albus and Harry both wore swords on their person. That the swords were the Potter and Gryffindor swords made the goblin's eyes widen in pleasure and curiosity. Griphook quickly showed the men into a private room.

"I shall return in a few moments with the bank manager," said the goblin.

About five minutes later, Griphook returned with a very old goblin.

"Mr. Potter," said Griphook. "May I introduce Achilles Rainbend? He is the manager of Gringotts of Britain."

"It is a pleasure to meet you," said Harry to the old goblin.

"The pleasure is all mine," said Achilles as he sat in the chair behind the desk. "Griphook has told me that you are in need of a conversation with me. What can we do to assist you today?"

"First off," said Harry. "My husband to be and I would like to buy the Daily Prophet. We need Griphook to get in touch with the current owner or owners and make a fair offer for the place. We don't want it to dent our account by that much if you understand our meaning. We want to own the paper, but not at our expense due to a greedy person that wants to sell it for more than its worth."

"I can arrange all of that," assured Griphook. "We know how to get a fair price for something. It will be my pleasure to tend to that matter for you."

"Thank you," said Harry. "Please make sure you give yourself a stipend for your trouble and hard work. Also when everything is ready, just have the paperwork sent to Hogwarts."

"Very well," said Griphook taking notes. "What else can we help you with today?"

"I want to make sure that the Weasley and Lupin vaults are not in need of anything. If they don't have at least ten million galleons in each vault, then please add some from the Potter vault until they do."

"I will double check," said Griphook. "However I believe both vaults have over that amount now with the interest being collected."

"Very good," said Harry. "The last thing I have to talk with you about is very dangerous."

"In what way?" Achilles asked. "We pride ourselves on not having danger here."

"I am aware of that," said Harry quickly. "However I have learned something recently that the goblins may not have known. As you know, I am not one to take what doesn't belong to me."

Both goblins and Albus all nodded their heads.

"If there was anyone in this bank we trust as much as the goblins here it would be you," said Griphook. "Why don't you start from the beginning and tell us what is going on?"

"We know that the goblins have no interest in the war between wizards," stated Harry plainly. "However an injustice to my family has occurred. I assure you that I do not hold the bank at fault in any way. I have nothing but respect for the goblins of Gringotts."

"This is a serious concern Mr. Potter," said Achilles. "What has happened that has you so worried?"

"Many years ago Voldemort started collecting trophies," said Albus. "He managed to find the lost Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw, the locket of Salazar Slytherin, and the cup of Helga Hufflepuff. Being a descendant of Slytherin he had a right to stake his claim on the locket. He however as you know was NOT a descendant of Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. It has been proven that he stole those items from their previous owners."

"We are aware that Mr. Potter has a stronger claim on those said items over anyone else," said Achilles. "What does this have to do with the bank? Surely you did not come here to tell us the blood status of everyone."

"Of course not," said Harry politely. "We happen to know where the stolen cup of Helga Hufflepuff lies. We also know that is a VERY dangerous artifact now as Voldemort has used the cup and turned it into a Horcrux."

"Did I hear you correctly?" asked the old goblin in astonishment.

"I am afraid so," said Albus. "Professor Potter here is telling you the truth."

"In which vault is the cup?" asked Griphook.

"It is in the Lestrange vault," said Harry quietly.

The two goblins looked at one another and nodded. As one they looked back at the two wizards.

"I can see where this would be a concern for both of us," said Achilles.

"Can we count on the goblins to help us retrieve the item in question?" asked Harry. "I think you already know that I am not trying to steal anything. I do not care what is in the Lestrange vault other than my own personal property."

"The goblin nation, as a general rule, does not trust wizards Mr. Potter," said Achilles. "You however are a strange exception to the rule. We do trust you and your intentions. We will help you. Griphook will take you to the Lestrange vault to assist you in retrieving your property. I believe that a freeze will be placed upon the vault after so that no one can get in or out of the vault until we prove that every item in there is in fact the property of the Lestranges themselves. It is a simple enough charm to see if anything in the vault is stolen."

"Thank you for your assistance in this endeavor," said Albus standing.

"Thank you for the trust that the goblins are placing in me," said Harry extending his hand to the old goblin.

"You are indeed a rare person," said Achilles accepting and shaking the hand. "I suggest you hurry to retrieve your property. It is good that you will be taking something that dangerous out of the bank. We do have a reputation to uphold."

"We understand," said Harry following them out of the room.

Griphook led the two wizards to the carts. The trio sat and the goblin told the cart which vault. Harry knew that they were going deep into the underground. His vault was one of a few that was as far down as you could go. The Lestranges were an old family and Harry knew that they would be pretty far down. Soon enough the cart came to a stop and the goblin and wizards stepped out of the cart. Griphook went to the door and opened the vault. Harry and Albus lit their wands as Griphook held up the lamp. Harry saw piles of money and gems lying all around. He was not interested in any of it. He had ample wealth. In fact his vault was probably twenty times bigger than this one. Harry and Albus kept their eyes peeled for the cup. Harry spotted it in the far corner on a shelf. He reached up and took the cup down. It was then he heard a sinister laugh behind them. Both Albus and Harry whirled around. Griphook was unconscious on the floor. Harry quickly conjured a shield around the goblin. Rudolphus and Rabastan Lestrange entered the vault. They were followed by Amycus and Alecto Carrow.

"Well, well," said Rudolphus. "What have we here? It seems intruders have broken into our vault and is trying to steal our gold."

"I have no interest in your gold," sneered Harry. "I have enough gold to last me ten lifetimes and then some. I am here to collect MY property that your leader stole from a relative of mine."

"Now why don't I believe you," said Rabastan.

"I don't care what you believe," said Harry. "Alecto, if you touch that Dark Mark I will sever your arm off of your body before you can say sickle."

"I am not scared of you or Dumbledore," snarled the female Death Eater.

"You should be," said Harry.

"I would tame your dog if I were you Dumbledore," said Amycus. "We have little tolerance for those that steal from the Dark Lord."

"I am only taking from Voldemort what is already mine," snarled Harry. "If you have something to say to me then say it. I don't need Albus to fight my battles for me."

"Seems the child has spunk," said Rabastan. "Why aren't you saying anything Dumbledore?"

"As Harry stated," he replied. "I have no power over him. I am merely his friend and mentor. Harry is quite capable of taking care of himself."

"Let's put that to the test then," said Alecto drawing her wand.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," said Albus. "I won't be held responsible if one of you gets hurt."

"Me get hurt?" laughed Alecto. "You are losing your grip Dumbledore if you think this child is a match for me."

"I have had enough of this," said Harry. "Albus protect Griphook."

"As you wish Harry," said Albus with a slight smile on his lips and stepped nearer the fallen goblin.

The four Death Eaters stepped out into the hall and beckoned Harry forward. They spread out and Alecto stepped forward to confront him one on one. Before she had a chance to say anything, she dropped her wand and held her throat. Harry hit her with a spell of his own devise that froze just a part of her body. A second spell severed her wand in two pieces.

"Hurts don't it?" taunted Harry. "You would be surprised at what you learn when you are the heir to the four founders. I would not do that if I were you Amycus. You have no idea of what I am capable of."

Rudolphus raised his wand and shouted AVADA KEDAVRA. Harry lifted his sword and had the satisfaction of watching the spell dissipate.

"Just when, are you people going to realize, that the Killing Curse will not affect me?" he asked.

"How did you do that Potter?" snarled Lestrange.

"Goblin steel and seeker reflexes idiot," said Harry.

"CRUCIO," screamed Rabastan.

Harry paused for a moment, but then he felt something in him begin to glow. He looked back at the Death Eater and smiled.

"Now THAT was cool," said Harry. "That was the first time that has ever happened. Unfortunately I grow tired of this game. RELASHIO!

The arm of Amycus fell to the floor. Harry quickly closed the wound.

"I warned you to not do that," said Harry. "Now which of you should I release to go back to Voldemort with my message? Will it be the one armed bandit? Maybe it should be the husband of Bellatrix. She will be very interested to hear how you failed to save the item that Voldemort wanted her and you to protect with your lives. Or maybe it should be that idiot brother of yours. I think I will let you chose. As far as Ms Carrow is concerned, STUPEFY."

Harry watched as Alecto Carrow hit the floor. The other three Death Eaters did not know what to do. They were stunned at the power that was emanating off of Harry.

"Harry," said Albus with a small smile. "What have I told you about picking on people weaker than you? Just send Amycus and be done with this. We have other things to do today."

"AWW," said Harry pretending to pout. "And just when I was beginning to have fun. I guess you are right though. I do have special plans for this evening that I would love to get back home and get started with."

Harry looked at the Lestrange brothers and without saying a word stunned both of them. Harry looked at Amycus.

"You better run," said Harry. "That is, before I change my mind. By the way, leave that arm. It is now my property. Leave with your life while you still have it. I doubt the Dark Lord will be happy when you make your report. Tell him for me that I have the cup of Helga Hufflepuff. Also tell Bellatrix that her estate is now mine by an act of conquest."

"But she is still alive," squeaked Amycus.

"For now," said Harry with a feral grin. "Now I suggest you go before I count to three."

Amycus did not need telling twice. He turned on the spot and apparated away. Harry entered the vault to see a shaky, but an alert Griphook standing there. Albus was already in the process of binding the prisoners. When he was done with that, he waited. Soon he heard the goblins coming around the corner for the surface. When they saw the scene before them, they all started asking questions at once.

"STOP," said Griphook. "Mr. Potter and the Head Master saved my life. Have the Aurors come and get this trash from the bank."

Griphook walked up to Harry and looked him in the eye.

"On behalf of the goblin nation," he began. "I thank you for your protection and for saving me. On behalf of the bank, I award you the contents of this vault, minus stolen property. You were correct in your right of conquest claim. While Bellatrix Lestrange is in fact alive, she has no power over the vault. It is now yours by right. After we exclude the stolen items, this vault will be combined with yours."

"You are more important to this bank than you are telling us," stated Harry. "A mere worker doesn't have that kind of power."

"Very astute in your observation Mr. Potter," said Achilles walking up. "When you asked to speak to the bank manager, I of course arrived. I am the bank manager. I however do not own the bank."

"That would be you," said Harry pointing to Griphook. "You are the current owner of the bank. However you work like everyone else as a front."

"That is correct Mr. Potter," said the goblin breaking into a smile. "My full name is Griphook Gringott. My grandfather founded this bank just over two thousand years ago. Achilles is my cousin."

"It is a pleasure knowing this," said Albus.

"Thank you for your assistance," said Harry. "May I suggest something to you? It would be a good idea to keep the Dark Lord out as best as you can. He will be VERY angry in a few moments time. Now, if you will excuse us, we have somewhere we would like to be. There is no need to show us out."

Harry grabbed Dumbledore by the arm and apparated them out of the bank. They arrived back in the Head Master's office. Albus set the cup on the desk, and Harry swung his sword in a clean arc. It severed the cup into two pieces. The Horcrux inside screamed its death throes and vanished. Harry picked up the pieces and put them in his pocket.

"Thank you for your help Albus," said Harry. "I could not have done this without you."

"I was only there for support," said Albus. "You did everything by yourself."

"I am curious about something," said Harry. "Why did my body react the way it did when Lestrange used the Cruciatus Curse on me?"

"Well," said Albus sitting behind his desk. "As we know from your fourth year as a student you were able to throw off the Imperius Curse. You have survived the Killing Curse on you once and have been able to deflect the spell every time it is used on you. The Cruciatus Curse will no longer affect you or Draco because of the bond of love that you have for one another."

"It felt like the spell was going to work at first," admitted Harry. "Then my image of Draco came in front of me and after that the spell made me tingle, but it did not hurt."

"That would be the bond doing that Harry," assured Albus with a smile. "For once you are not unique in that. Mr. Malfoy will also be impervious to that particular spell."

Harry grinned as he thanked Albus and left the office. He had a couple of more hours before his surprise for Draco would go into affect. By now he was sure that Hermione and Ginny had gotten into their closet and chose a set of clothes for him and Draco to wear. He was sure that Severus was occupying Draco and the little accident would happen, causing Draco to have to shower and change down in the dungeon. As he left, he noticed that Pomona was assisting Minerva with the trail that would take Draco on a scavenger hunt all over the castle.

"Don't forget about the rose petals," whispered Harry.

"Don't worry," said Minerva. "Rolanda and Sybil are seeing to that personally. Before you ask, they are placing a single rose in each spot. Don't worry Harry, we know our part. You go get dressed and talk with Dobby and Winky about your dinner and such."

Harry smiled and took off at a run. If Minerva said they had it covered, then he knew they did. Albus came down the stairs and noticed the two women working on something.

"What are you doing?" he asked curiously.

They quickly and quietly told Albus what Harry had planned for Draco. The old wizard's eyes brightened at the idea and he too got involved in the preparation.

At seven that evening, Harry was in the common room putting the finishing touches on the table. Albus had brought Harry a bottle of champagne and Harry had used a light cooling spell on it. The candles were lit and everything was ready. He dressed very carefully that night. He wore tight black jeans, a charcoal grey long sleeve button down shirt with a black tank top under it. He had set up the final area of the evening with the help of Ginny. When they were done, Ginny discretely left the common room. She and Hermione would be staying the night elsewhere. Harry stayed barefooted. He climbed on the bed and waited.

Draco was concentrating on the potion he was working on. It was not all that unusual for Severus to ask for his or Hermione's assistance when doing potions. This night, they were working on Amortentia. It was a strong love potion. Draco was concentrating so hard that he did not notice Severus approach. When Draco looked away for the next section of instructions, Severus quickly added another ingredient that did not belong and backed off quickly. Draco added the next potion ingredient and when he stirred, the cauldron exploded and he stood there with soaking wet robes and slime in his hair and covering him from head to foot.

"Dam it," said Draco. "I am sorry Sev. I don't know what I did wrong. I thought I was doing it right. I must have added something at the wrong time or stirred the wrong way."

"Accidents will happen, Draco," said Severus hiding a smile. "I had Miss Granger bring you a change of clothes in case something went wrong. Why don't you go and shower and clean up while I clear up this mess."

"Are you sure?" asked Draco still looking guilty.

"Yes go," said Severus. "I am used to exploding cauldrons. You might want to get in the shower soon before some of that potion starts to burn or something."

Severus watched as Draco left and quickly cleared up the mess. He looked over and listened as Draco got in the shower. He quickly sent a patronus to Harry telling him that it worked and Draco was in the shower. While Draco was in the water, Severus picked up his robes and handed them to Dobby who was waiting for them. The elf smiled at Severus as he left with a small pop. Severus then laid Draco's outfit for the evening on the bed. Harry specifically said that Draco was to be bare footed. With a quick wave of his wand, Draco's shoes and socks made their way to his rooms for Dobby to clean. Draco came out of the shower and quickly dried off. Severus pretended to be concerned about the blonde's hair as he brushed it to make sure "none of it falls out". Effectively, Severus got the blonde's hair brushed in a flattering style. Draco put on the tight blue jeans and the navy blue silk shirt. When he went for shoes, Severus told him to let the coolness of the castle be on his feet for a little while. Draco nodded in understanding and thanked him and then left the room.

As he left the room he noticed a small trail of rose petals on the floor. He smiled and picked one up. After sniffing it, he followed the trail to the end of the corridor. He saw a note floating in the air. He grabbed the letter and read it quickly. A red rose was lying on the floor. Draco picked it up.

"I wonder what this is about," he mumbled to himself reading the letter. "Go to the charms corridor."

He headed for the charms corridor. Once again he saw a trail of rose petals. He followed it carefully and came upon another letter. He picked it up and read the instructions. Lying on the table was a pink rose and a small box. He opened the box and saw the silver chain with the half heart on it. He smiled and picked up the rose. Carefully he made his way to the transfiguration room. Halfway down the hall, he saw the petals again. Smiling he followed them. He picked up the next letter which instructed him to head for the DADA classroom. On the table next to that letter was a yellow rose. Smiling, Draco picked up the rose and added it to the growing bouquet in his hand. He made his way to the DADA classroom and searched for the next letter. He was instructed to go to the Great Hall. Next to the letter was a blue rose. He was starting to enjoy this. He picked up the rose and headed to the Great Hall. Petunia met him in the Great Hall wearing an evening gown. She held a tray in her hands. On it was his next set of instructions. There was a white rose lying on the tray with a second box. Upon opening it, he saw that it was the second half of the heart he had found earlier.

_Draco,_

_If you made it this far, then perhaps you would be so kind as to finish the scavenger hunt. From here, all you have to do is follow the rose petals. The hearts you have found represent us. Once our hearts come together, then the talisman will complete itself. Here is hoping to see you soon._

_All my love,_

_Harry_

Draco smiled at Petunia who smiled back and discreetly left. Draco turned around searching for the rose petals. He saw them outside the door. He followed the trail of petals. It looked like it was leading to their room. When he opened the door of their common room, he saw the table and the candles. He could hear the soft music coming softly from their bedroom. There was a vase with water in it for the roses. Draco placed them there and continued to follow the petals. When he entered the room, the sight before him took his breath away. Harry was casually lying across the bed that was full of rose petals. Draco approached his lover who was watching his expression with a fierce intensity. Harry did not say anything or make a move as he watched Draco climb onto the bed. When Draco finally reached where Harry was sitting, the green eyed man grabbed him and kissed him with full emotion. The two cases Draco had in his hands glowed golden for a moment. When the glow died down, two hearts that were identical to one another appeared. Each one was pure gold with a ruby and a pearl in it. Inscribed were the words _Harry and Draco Forever. Let love keep our hearts beating as one._ Draco picked up one heart and hung it around Harry's neck. Harry picked up the other and returned the favor. From there, Draco crushed his lips back to Harry's. It did not take long for their passion to flare up. Later that evening they sat at the table and ate the special dinner that Harry had the elves prepare. They toasted one another and then retired to their room where they made love the rest of the night.

Amycus Carrow was not having a good night. He lost his sister. Potter had captured her and the Lestrange brothers. When Bellatrix found him, he was weak. Potter had severed his arm off when he went to press the Dark Mark. She started questioning him. The more she heard the more frightened she became. Not only had Potter invaded her vault, but thanks to her husband and brother in law, along with the Carrows, one of the Dark Lords possessions was taken and her vault sealed against her. Rumor even had it that when the goblins were finished examining the vault, it would he handed over to the Potter brat and his mate. Her husband and his brother had failed her. The Carrows had failed her. She was the one who would pay the price however. The Dark Lord was already not happy with her for the loss of her sister and nephew. Now the Dark Lord no longer had access to Potters mind period. Her one stroke of luck was that the Dark Lord was injured from that last battle and was still recovering. She knew he would not forget her when he was back to full strength. She would be punished for the failure of the other four. She paced back and forth trying to figure out what to do. That Carrow would lose his life was a given. How could she turn this mistake away from her? She had a fearful look in her eyes as she tried to figure out a way.

AUTHOR'S NOTE – Thank you for bearing with me on that. It is a fantasy I have for myself. To be lead by a trail of rose petals to find my loved one looking sexy on a bed covered with rose petals. I hope I left enough drama in so that the story is balancing itself. Even though this is a love story, it still has to have action and mystery to it. Thanks for the wonderful reviews I know you will send my way.


	17. Albus' Surprise Decision

DISCLAIMER – Harry Potter and its affiliates are the sole property of JK Rowling.

DISCLAIMER – This is a gay love story between Harry and Draco. If you are offended by gay rights or homosexual innuendos, then I humbly ask you not to embarrass yourself or me by reading beyond this point. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

DISCLAIMER – If my story appears similar to anyone else's it is purely coincidental.

DISCLAIMER – "Beautiful" is a song sung by Christina Aguilera.

NOTE – Thank you to all my wonderful fans. I can promise each of you that there will definantly be a sequel to this book. As to whether I can stretch it to a trilogy, we will have to see. So without further ado, here is the next chapter.

**Chapter 17 – Albus' Surprise Decision**

The next morning, Draco propped himself up on one elbow carefully so that he would not disturb Harry. Dobby came in with a tray of food, but Draco quickly put his finger to his lips to quiet the elf. Dobby bowed carefully and left with a grin on his face. Dobby and Winky loved Harry and Draco and would do anything for them. To see Harry Potter actually sleeping was a good thing. Harry cared about everything that lived and breathed in the castle. It did not matter if it was a human, elf, familiar, or the many other animals that came onto the grounds. Many a night saw Harry patrolling the corridors making sure that no one was out of bounds and doing something dangerous.

Draco smiled down at his lover. The night before was a wonderful treat. Harry was always coming up with new and inventive ideas to make the spark that was their love turn into an explosion. He fingered the talisman around his neck. It was a pleasant surprise. The little gold heart with their birthstones was a wonderful idea. It was just masculine enough that it was something that could be worn in plain sight. However it did not diminish the elegance of the piece. Harry had his around his neck also. Knowing him the way he did, Draco knew that Harry would never take his off. Draco smiled at his lover.

Harry rolled over and slowly opened his eyes. When he saw Draco leaning over him, he smiled.

"You are up rather early today love," he said.

"Ummm," Draco replied. "The truth of the matter is that you finally slept in dear heart."

"Really?" asked Harry sitting up. "What time is it?"

"Somewhere close to nine," said Draco.

"I am late," said Harry getting out of bed quickly. "I have classes in a few moments."

"Lover, relax," said Draco laughing heartily. "Today is Saturday. You don't have any classes today."

Harry finally woke up and got his bearings. When he realized that Draco was laughing at him, he pounced on the bed and started to wrestle with the blonde.

"Promise me you will not take that off of your neck," said Harry.

"I promise," said Draco. "What is so special about this heart other than the fact that you gave it to me?"

"If you are in trouble and I am not near you, all you have to do is hold it and say my name," explained Harry. "Mine will react and let me know that you are in danger or that you need me."

"Will yours do the same thing?" asked Draco with interest.

"For once I broke down and decided that you all were right," said Harry. "Mine will do the same."

"Oh Harry," said Draco with a huge grin on his face. "That is music to my ears. What brought this on?"

"The other night did," said Harry. "There was no way I could fight alone. If it were not for you and Albus, I probably would have died in my sleep that night."

"I am glad that we were able to help you lover," said Draco wrapping his arms around Harry. "What is bothering you lover?"

Harry lifted his hand and flicked a finger at a CD. As it started playing, Harry started singing. As usual the castle decided that Harry's voice needed to be broadcast through the school.

_Don't look at me_

_Everyday is so wonderful_

_And suddenly, it's hard to breathe_

_Now and then I get insecure_

_From all the pain, feel so ashamed_

_I am beautiful no matter what they say_

_Words can't bring you down_

_I am beautiful in every single way_

_Yes, words can't bring me down, oh no_

_So don't you bring me down today_

_To all your friends you're delirious_

_So consumed in all your doom_

_Trying hard to fill the emptiness, the piece is gone_

_Left the puzzle undone, aint that the way it is?_

_Cause you are beautiful, no matter what they say_

_Words can't bring you down, oh no_

_You are beautiful in every single way_

_Yes, words can't bring me down, oh no_

_So don't you bring me down today_

_No matter what we do_

_No matter what we do_

_(No matter what we say)_

_No matter what we say_

_(We're the song that's out of tune)_

_(Full of beautiful mistakes)_

_(And everywhere we go)_

_And everywhere we go_

_(The sun will always, shine)_

_The sun will always, always shine!_

_(But tomorrow we might awake on the other side)_

_Cause we are beautiful, no matter what they say_

_Yes, Words wont bring us down, oh no_

_We are beautiful in every single way_

_Yes, words can't bring us down, oh no_

_So don't you bring me down today_

_Don't you bring me down today_

_Don't you bring me down today_

When he finished singing, Draco was practically in tears.

"You are only human Harry," said Draco wiping his eyes on the corner of the sheet. "We don't expect you to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders."

"I know lover," said Harry. "That is why I did what I did with the hearts we wear around our necks. It made me realize that I can not do this on my own. Sometimes I am so frightened that I can't stand myself. I keep thinking that I may lose you to this stupid war that I never asked for in the first place. I get angry. Then after that I feel guilty for getting angry. For instance yesterday I felt so guilty about what I did to the Death Eaters. If there were no Voldemort, these could be innocent people."

A knock on their door frame interrupted Harry's tirade.

"May we come in?" asked Severus with Albus at his shoulder.

Harry quickly dried his eyes and waved them into the room. Hermione and Ginny followed the men into the room.

"Harry," said Albus kindly. "We could not help but overhear your words."

"The four of us decided that we have something to say to you," said Hermione sitting on the edge of the bed.

Harry and Draco made sure they were covered properly as their friends and mentors sat on the bed.

"You are failing to realize a very important fact in life Harry," said Severus choosing his words carefully. "Everyone on this planet makes their choice as to what they will do in this world. Humans, elves, goblins, dragons, etc. are no exception to the rule."

"Everyone and everything was put on this planet for a reason," said Ginny.

"It is our choices that make us unique in our own ways," said Albus. "You are not an exception to that rule and neither are we."

"I know," said Harry. "I just can't help but feel like there is something more that I can do."

"That is just it Harry," said Severus. "There isn't. You already do so much for so many. We worry that you will one day stretch too far and you will hurt yourself."

"You are too important to us," said Draco. "Not just for what you do to lead this war with Voldemort, but for the love and compassion that you instill in each and every one of us."

"You are the most unselfish and loving person that any one of us has ever known," said Albus. "We love you because of who you are, not what you can do."

"I know," said Harry sadly. "I still feel bad about Amycus yesterday. Maybe I should have just had him arrested instead of what I did."

"What did you do?" asked Ginny.

"He was about to press the Dark Mark on his arm to summon Voldemort," said Harry. "I severed his arm off so that he couldn't. I am no better than they are."

"Now stop right there," snapped Albus. "I was with you. I remember what happened from the start. You warned him a few times to not go near his mark. They would have killed you if they could Harry."

"Harry," said Hermione calmly. "This IS a war. There will be casualties on both sides. You will eventually have to kill someone. At least all you took was his arm. If it would have been anyone else, it would have meant his life."

"You really need to stop beating yourself up about things like this," said Severus. "It will happen and there is nothing you can do about it. Take it from someone who knows. They will kill you at any chance they can get. It is better to defend yourself and live for the world than to let sorrow get to you because you hurt a Death Eater. Could you have battled Voldemort right then if Amycus had summoned him? I can tell you, that you would have been seriously outnumbered and outmatched. Even someone as powerful as you could not stand up to Voldemort and four other Death Eaters at the same time. You would have died and it would have been the end of us."

"And not just because you can stop him," said Ginny. "It would have ended us because we would have lost someone that means so much to us for other reasons."

"I know," said Harry. "I can comprehend everything you are telling me. As you have already stated, I AM only human. I am allowed to feel sorry for myself every now and then aren't I?"

"Of course you are," said Draco. "We would think something was wrong with you mentally if you didn't."

"The fact that you feel pain even for your enemies is what makes you the total opposite of Voldemort," said Albus. "I for one feel the same way that you do from time to time. I am glad that I have friends like Minerva and Severus to talk to."

"Really?" asked Harry with wide eyes.

"Harry," said Albus. "Before you came along and became the wonderful and not to mention powerful person that you are, I was in your shoes. This is the second Dark Wizard that I have had to battle in my life. I know how you feel. I have been in your shoes before. We do what we have to; to keep those we care about safe. You are even more amazing than I am because you DON'T want to hurt anyone. Even after everything that has been done to you, all you want is peace and love."

"We will do our best to help you achieve those goals," said Draco. "You are NOT alone."

Harry held out his arms, and the group all got into a huge huddle.

"We will succeed," said Harry. "I will continue to be strong because I have people like you to support me and to lean on. Thank you all for loving me so much."

"Well my dear boy," said Albus. "I recommend that you two get dressed. I have an important announcement to make and I need you all there. And you showing up in your birthday suit will not help me in the slightest. It will just take the attention away from me."

Everyone burst out laughing and stood up to leave. Each gave Harry a kiss on the cheek and left the room.

"Do you feel better love?" asked Draco.

In answer, Harry grabbed Draco and gave him the fullest attention he could by pressing his lips to his. When they pulled apart, both young men were smiling brightly. They quickly showered and grabbed some toast that Dobby had brought them as they got dressed. They entered the Great Hall fifteen minutes later to the applause of the school. Harry turned a deep red as he headed for the Staff table. When everyone was seated, Albus stood up and cleared his throat.

"I have called you here today to make a few major announcements," said Albus. "As you all know, the school year ends in just over two months. With the end of the school year, there will be some important staff changes."

The students started to get curious about this. Harry and the rest of the staff were giving him their fullest attention.

"Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy will be taking their NEWTS with the seventh years this year," said Albus. "Professor Potter has been tutoring them so that they will pass in all of their subjects. Please give them a round of applause."

The students clapped for them. It was known that Hermione was the brightest witch of the age. The fact that Draco was Harry's soon to be husband and a very intelligent wizard in his own right did not surprise anyone.

"I would like to point out that three members of the faculty are leaving at the end of this year," said Albus when the applause died. "Professor Flitwick has decided that it is time for a quieter life. He will be leaving the school at the end of the year. He has taught many of your parents and in some cases grandparents as well. So again I ask that you give Professor Flitwick a huge round of applause for fifty seven years of teaching here at Hogwarts."

The applause for tiny Professor Flitwick was deafening. He was a favorite of many. Albus smiled as he waited for the applause to die out.

"I also would like to add that Professor Vector will be moving to a new job with the end of the school year," said Albus. "Please give Professor Vector a round of applause."

Albus waited patiently for the applause to end. When it had, he waited an extra moment so that his next words would hit home.

"At the end of this school term," said Albus. "I will be accepting the post of Minister of Magic. This means that next year you will have a new Head Master here at Hogwarts."

There was absolute silence for moments. Albus waited as did Harry. Both men knew it was a matter of moments before pandemonium broke out. They were not disappointed. Some of the students and faculty applauded while others shouted in outrage. Others were just sitting in stunned silence. Finally Albus raised his hands for silence. It descended on the hall quickly.

"I have been in this school for many years," he said. "I am needed elsewhere so that we can continue with the work that has started here. My goal in accepting the post is for us to get the entire wizarding world united instead of just here at Hogwarts."

"Does this mean that Professor McGonagall will be taking your place?" asked Ron.

"No Mr. Weasley it does not," said Albus with an air of mystery. "I was visited by the ghosts of the founders of Hogwarts. There is only one person they will allow as the Head Master here. May I introduce your new Head Master, Professor Harry Potter?"

A crash sounded causing Albus to jump and spin. Harry had been standing up when Albus had started speaking. Upon hearing that he was going to be the new Head Master his eyes promptly rolled up into his head and he passed out cold. The crash resulted when he hit his head on the table on the way down. Poppy and Severus were at his side in a flash. Draco had leaped up and raced to be near Harry. Hermione and Ginny were hot on his trail. Those students that were not standing in horror at the scene were whispering among themselves at this new piece of news. Albus quickly dismissed the students and turned to assist with Harry. Members of Team Potter were busy escorting students out of the hall while others were waiting to see if there was anything that they could do to help Harry.

Poppy ran her wand over his head and patched him up in a jiffy. Slowly Harry came around with a groan and held his head.

"Who hit me?" he asked with a smile.

"Do I have to put a pillow on your head with a permanent sticking charm?" asked Poppy. "One of these days you will break your skull if you keep doing that."

"Then maybe you all need to stop giving me such huge surprises without warning," said Harry getting to his feet with the help of Draco and Severus. "Did I hear you just tell the school that I am going to be the new Head Master here?"

"I am afraid so," said Albus with a twinkle in his eyes. "I must say that was a great way to show the school what it looks like to be surprised silly."

"Why you old coot," said Harry lifting his hands.

Immediately Albus was wearing a frilly cocktail dress and Harry had whipped out his wand and started chasing the old man out of the Great Hall.

"I am going to get you for that Albus Dumbledore," rang out Harry's magically enhanced voice.

Members of the staff as well as students were sitting and leaning heavy on each other due to their laughter. Some were pounding the tables or ground where they sat at the scene before them. Many did not realize that Albus could move that fast. Others were complimenting Harry's choice of gown for the new Minister of Magic. Finally Harry laughed himself out. He flicked his wand and Albus was once again wearing his normal robes. Students and teachers would never forget this day. Laughter was everywhere in the castle. Harry walked up to Albus and wrapped his arms around the waist of his old friend and mentor. A laughing Albus wrapped his arms around Harry and the two chuckled at the fun.

"Ah, laughter," said Albus. "It helps those that are depressed feel better. It also helps what could be a shock turn into something pleasant."

"Are you sure I am ready for such an important position?" asked Harry sighing.

"Harry you were born ready," said Albus. "Let's return to the Great Hall and we can discuss things with the rest of the staff."

Harry and Albus entered the Great Hall arm in arm to the laughter and amusement of those that were still present.

"We are going to have a staff meeting," said Harry. "Those of Team Potter that wish to stay may do so."

He pulled out his wand and gave it a flick. The five house tables zoomed to the side of the room. Albus gave his wand a flick and a huge circular table appeared in the middle of the hall. Everyone sat and waited for the meeting to begin.

"We know that Harry is young," began Albus. "However the founders will allow no one else. This is not a slight on either Minerva or Severus."

"I am going to be dependant upon all of you to help me," said Harry. "I promise to listen to your advice and council. I am not stupid enough to think I can do this without each and every one of you."

"Well said Harry," remarked Severus with a smile. "You have my support when and if you need it. All you have to do is ask."

"The same goes for me," said Minerva. "We know that you will do an outstanding job."

"You have my support as well," said Pomona. "With as much as you have already done for the school, there could be no other choice in the matter."

"I am with ye Harry,"" said Hagrid.

"Count me in," said Rolanda Hooch.

"I will do my part," said Professor Sinistra.

"That goes for me as well," said Professor Burbage.

"I am here for you as well," said Sybil.

"I have always been fond of you," said Professor Babbling.

"I am with you until the end," said Poppy.

"Thank you all very much for the support," said Harry with tears in his eyes.

He leaned over for a few moments while Draco rocked him.

"I too will be able to help you," said Albus. "A picture of me will be in the Head Master's office. While I am still alive, it will serve in two ways. One way will be as the other Head Masters pictures, and a second way. If you should need to talk to me, it will act like a portal between your office and mine."

Harry dried his eyes and nodded.

"Well then I have a few ideas," he said. "With Hermione and Draco graduating a year early we can do a number of things. We have three open spots here in the school. Arithmancy, DADA, and Charms are now classes that need teachers. We will also need a new Head of House for both Ravenclaw and Potter. Hermione and Draco can fill in as a Professor and even a Head of House. That is if they want to."

"I think that is an excellent idea," said Albus while the other teachers were thoughtfully trying to sort things out.

"I have a suggestion," said Severus.

"I am all ears," said Harry.

"Why don't we have Miss Granger take over Arithmancy," he said. "She has the highest score this school has seen in a long time."

Everyone looked over at Hermione who blushed.

"I can do that," she said.

"We can have Draco take over charms," said Harry. "What do you say lover?"

"Charms, is not subject that I am strong at," admitted Draco. "I pass it with an _Exceeds Expectation_, but it is a weak one."

"How about we do this," said Minerva. "Severus, why don't you take over as the DADA professor? Draco can take over Potions, and Remus can come in as the Charms Professor."

"I like that," said Harry. "Draco and Hermione are the best in the school in Potions. I really want someone powerful and skilled in DADA. While Remus is a good professor in that subject, he is just as skilled in Charms."

"Are you sure Harry?" asked Severus. "I want to help out as much as I can, but I don't want to offend anyone either."

Albus sat back in his chair with a twinkle in his eyes. Harry was doing just as he expected he would. He was taking charge and listening to the advice from his peers. He didn't have to say anything. He was enjoying watching Harry fall into his position. The founders made the right choice for his replacement.

"I am sure," said Harry bringing Albus back to the conversation. "If Albus doesn't mind contacting Remus for me, I can make the necessary changes for what we have already. I know I don't have to tell anyone in this room that this is private until I make the announcements next year."

Heads nodded from the staff and students. Harry looked to Draco.

"Would you take over potions for me?" he asked.

"That I can do," said Draco kissing him on the cheek.

"Who will you name as my successor as Head of Ravenclaw House," asked Filius.

"I have an idea," said Harry. "If you all don't like it, then just let me know."

All eyes were riveted on Harry as he spoke the next words.

"Severus can take over as Head of Potter House," said Harry. "Draco can replace him as Head of Slytherin House. Hermione can replace Filius as Head of Ravenclaw House. What do you all think?"

"As Hermione is a descendant of Rowena," said Severus that makes sense. "Why would you have me as Head of Potter House instead of Draco?"

"In June he will be a Potter," said Harry. "I don't want to show favoritism. No offense lover. Minerva as a descendant of Gryffindor is perfect where she is. Plus she will retain her position as Deputy Head Mistress. You are the perfect choice to take over as Head of House for Potter."

Heads nodded all around the table.

"That makes sense," said Severus. "I accept."

"I accept also," said Hermione. "As long as you promise that if I need help you give it to me."

"You and Draco don't even need to ask," said Harry. "The same assistance that has been given to me will be given to the two of you as well."

"Then we should have no problems," said Draco. "I know you will watch out over us."

"Albus do you have anything that you want to add?" asked Harry.

"I think it would be prudent to have the elves start moving my stuff to my new office," said Albus. "That way when my rooms are empty, Dobby and Winky can move you and Draco's things to my room and your new office. I would assume that Miss Granger will be staying where she is."

"Yes Minister," said Hermione. "We will also house guest rooms for such as the Weasleys and Narcissa."

"Well Harry," said Albus. "It seems you have everything under control. By the end of the year, you will have fallen into a routine that is comfortable for you for both DADA and Head Master duties. I will be coming here less and less until the end of the year. It will be hard being in two places at once. I will contact Remus for you and have him report to you by the end of the year and be ready for next year. Severus and Draco will have to help with the Wolfsbane Potion. Other than that I think you have things well in order. Just remember that if you ever have a question or you need some help, that there are many people here that would be more than willing to guide you in the right direction."

"Thanks Albus," said Harry. "It means everything to me that these people before me are willing to back me one hundred percent. I promise to make you all proud."

"You already do Harry," said Ginny getting an applause from the assembly. "You already give us everything we need and most of what we want. You will be great as Head Master."

"Oh and Harry," said Albus. "By all means keep on singing. Even when you are feeling blue the voice you have for singing is a wonderful gift. I will be listening from the other side of the portrait."

Harry laughed as he wrapped his arms around Draco. The two young men were happy. Things would eventually turn out for them the way they wanted. The history books would be filled with volumes about these wonderful people known as Team Potter.

"Harry could you sing your song that you sang this morning again?" asked Minerva. "It was a catchy tune with a powerful meaning."

"If it will make you happy my dear old besom," said Harry with a laugh.

"I will forget you said that if you start singing now," she said pulling out her wand. "If not I will make what you did to Albus pale in comparison to what I will do to you."

"Ok, OK," he said laughing. "Keep you hat on."

Harry flicked his wand and the CD from this morning appeared and stared spinning. He sang the lyrics again. This time there was a happy feeling in them and the audience was humming along with him. Hermione and Albus put the Great Hall back to its regular way as Harry sang. Students were listening as they came in to eat lunch.

_Don't look at me_

_Everyday is so wonderful_

_And suddenly, it's hard to breathe_

_Now and then I get insecure_

_From all the pain, feel so ashamed_

_I am beautiful no matter what they say_

_Words can't bring you down_

_I am beautiful in every single way_

_Yes, words can't bring me down, oh no_

_So don't you bring me down today_

_To all your friends you're delirious_

_So consumed in all your doom_

_Trying hard to fill the emptiness, the piece is gone_

_Left the puzzle undone, aint that the way it is?_

_Cause you are beautiful, no matter what they say_

_Words can't bring you down, oh no_

_You are beautiful in every single way_

_Yes, words can't bring me down, oh no_

_So don't you bring me down today_

_No matter what we do_

_No matter what we do_

_(No matter what we say)_

_No matter what we say_

_(We're the song that's out of tune)_

_(Full of beautiful mistakes)_

_(And everywhere we go)_

_And everywhere we go_

_(The sun will always, shine)_

_The sun will always, always shine!_

_(But tomorrow we might awake on the other side)_

_Cause we are beautiful, no matter what they say_

_Yes, Words wont bring us down, oh no_

_We are beautiful in every single way_

_Yes, words can't bring us down, oh no_

_So don't you bring me down today_

_Don't you bring me down today_

_Don't you bring me down today_

AUTHOR'S NOTE – I was feeling a bit down on myself today. I came across this song and it meant so much to me that I had to put it in the story for Harry. The point in this chapter was to let you all know that even on your worst days that YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL and someone out there in the world doesn't care what you look like or what you have or have not accomplished. They love you for you and what makes you shine inside. Thanks for following along with me.


	18. The Good, The Bad, The Stupid

DISCLAIMER – Harry Potter and its affiliates are the sole property of JK Rowling.

DISCLAIMER – Any similarities between my story and someone else's is purely coincidental.

DISCLAIMER – This is a gay love story between Harry and Draco. If you are offended by gay rights are homosexual innuendoes, then I humbly ask you not to embarrass yourself or me by reading beyond this point. Thank you for your consideration.

NOTE – Thank you all for the wonderful reviews. Many of you are following so closely that I am having a hard time keeping up. Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews. Many of you seem to be able to relate to everything I am putting in this story. Thanks for all of the wonderful support. Now I will put you all out of your agony by posting the next chapter.

**Chapter 18 – The Good, The Bad, The Stupid**

As was predicted, Harry fell into a routine. He kept up with his DADA classes as well as slowly taking over the school for Albus. It was not long before Albus only put in an appearance once a day to check on things. The weeks passed and March turned into April. Harry focused a lot of his energy on those that were sitting for their NEWTS and OWLS. Albus had moved all of his possessions out of the castle and was currently residing at Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Harry offered him Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff Manor, but Albus refused. Harry took his time moving into the Head Master's office. He had Dobby and Winky give the office a thorough cleaning and had all of the books moved from his dorm into the office. Harry had never been in beyond the office. Up the stairs was a whole library. Harry had the castle work her magic to accommodate all of his books. Hedwig and the twin phoenixes were moved into the new suite of rooms. Harry left a window open for them to be able to go out and hunt in the evenings. It was not long before he and Draco were firmly ensconced into their new quarters. Harry personally moved the swords and wands as well as the Book of Shadows of the four founders. The wards were strengthened on the showcases. While anyone who was a relative could use any said sword, they still were now unable to get them without Harry's authorization. The wands and the books were off limits unless Harry was personally sitting there for the person to use them.

"Your exams are in six weeks," said Harry to Draco one day while he was grading papers. "How are you coping?"

"With your help I am doing great," said Draco with a smile. "It is nice that you still allow Hermione and Ginny to come in here to study with us."

"I can't very well tell them no," said Harry. "Hermione would do me serious damage if I tried that."

"At least the castle left the dorm like it was when we left," said Draco. "I would like to caution you about spreading yourself out to thin love."

"What do you mean?" asked Harry looking up and meeting his gaze.

"You are running the school," said Draco. "You still teach DADA, you have a meeting every other night with the staff, and you are tutoring everyone from Potter House. On top of all that you are tutoring others who ask for it."

"I know," said Harry. "I am pushing myself hard, but I want you all to pass your exams."

"Trust me lover," said Draco getting up and kissing him fondly on the lips. "We will pass. I have no doubt in my mind that everyone taking their OWL or NEWT will get an "E" at the very least. Anyone who doesn't pass DADA deserves to have to repeat it next year."

"Severus will be a lot harder than I was," said Harry. "At least Ginny and Luna are top in their year at DADA. Severus will have his hands full with some of the others."

"They are advanced," said Draco. "Not many fifth years can do non verbal spells. Add the fact that they both are adequate in wandless magic and you have some very powerful ladies there."

"I had to take points from Ginny the other day for using a wandless Bat Bogey Hex on Zacharias Smith," said Harry. "Then I had to deduct points from him for annoying her."

"He can be a prat when he wants to be," said Draco with a smile. "At least Severus will have good students in his class for sixth year."

Harry stood up from his desk. He grabbed Draco and planted a passionate kiss on his lips. When they came up for air, Harry dragged him upstairs where they enjoyed the pleasures of the flesh.

A knock sounded on the door, and both boys jumped up. They hurriedly cleaned up and got dressed as Harry waved his hand and opened the door.

"I will be right down," said Harry quickly putting on his robes.

He did not bother to put anything on underneath them. Barefooted, he raced down the stairs to see an irate Hermione standing there.

"Hermione?" asked Harry. "What is wrong?"

"Harry," she said. "I just got word from my mom and dad that they were threatened by Peter Pettigrew. They are worried that he will attack them in their home. I was wondering if you could go and ward their house for me."

"Albus," called Harry. "Did you hear that?"

"I have," said the voice of Albus. "I will be there in a few minutes. Finished getting dressed and have Miss Granger alert Severus and Minerva."

Hermione nodded and left. Harry hurried up the stairs and told Draco what was going on.

"Do you want me to go with you?" asked Draco.

"I would like for you to stay here with Ginny and help watch out over the school," said Harry putting on his clothes. "I think that between me and Albus we can get their house warded safely.

As Harry got down to his office, the fireplace erupted in green flames and Albus stepped out of the fire. Meanwhile, Hermione and Ginny were heading back to the office with Severus and Minerva right behind them. Draco entered the room and stood next to Harry. When Minerva and Severus made it to the office, Albus quickly outlined to the others what he and Harry were going to do.

"Draco, Hermione, and Ginny will stay here instead of coming with us so that they can help you keep an eye on the school," said Harry. "If you need me, just have Draco summon me with the talisman around his neck. Albus and I will put the most powerful wards on them that we can. Also we can use the Fidelius Charm. I will be secret keeper if you like Hermione."

"I would appreciate that Harry," she said. "Just do what you can for them. I don't want that rat anywhere near them."

"We will take care of it," assured Albus with a smile. "I already have Aurors on the look out until we get there and get everything under control. Try not to worry."

Hermione smiled, and she and Ginny left the office. Harry grabbed Albus by the arm, and apparated them to the Granger's house. They were met at the door by Hermione's parents. Harry and Albus spent the better part of an hour telling the Grangers what they were going to do to protect them in their own home.

"The only way they can get to you is if you are out of your house," said Harry. "You have the full support of the staff of Hogwarts."

"The Ministry of Magic stands behind you as well," said Albus.

Harry and Albus went around the grounds and cast every anti intruder charm and spell that they could think of. From there they cast the Fidelius Charm. Albus set it up that once a day an Auror would knock on the door. If there was no answer, Albus and Harry would be summoned immediately. The Grangers promised that if they were going out for the evening they would leave a note on the door. When they were done, Harry apparated them back to Hogwarts. They were met by Ginny who had a very excited look on her face.

"Harry," she said. "You have to come quick. We think we found the wand of Godric Gryffindor."

Harry and Albus looked at her in astonishment and both men followed her out of the room. Draco raced after them.

"Do you remember in your first year how you were not allowed in the corridor on the right hand side on the third floor?" she asked.

"Yes," said Harry. "Ron, Hermione, and I went anyway. That was how I stopped Quirrell and Voldemort from getting the sorcerer's stone."

"Well while you were gone, Hermione and I went looking in there," said Ginny. "She is there now. We came across a door behind the Mirror of Erised."

"I was to busy to really look around when I was down here the last time," remarked Harry as Albus chuckled.

They reached the corridor, and Harry levitated them down gently. He noticed that the Devil's snare was still there. He cast a light charm to make it go away. They entered the room with the keys to find the door open. They made it past the chess set. Harry noticed that even though the troll was gone, that the stench remained. He waved his hand and cleared that up. When they entered the room where the potions were, Harry was concerned to find that the bottles were still there. Quickly he sent those potions to Severus. They entered the room with the mirror and they saw Hermione standing on the far side of the room. When she realized that Harry was there, she beckoned him over.

"How are my mom and dad?" she asked. "Are they ok?"

"Yes," said Harry. "We have taken care of the problem. Albus posted an Auror to help watch out over them."

"Thanks Harry," she said. "Take a look at this wall and tell me what you see."

Harry knew she was not being funny, so he let his other senses take over and examined the wall. Albus also examined the wall carefully.

"I am amazed that I missed this," said Albus with a curious look on his face.

"You may not have seen it because Harry was not yet able to claim his heritage," said Draco.

"You are probably correct," said Albus. "Miss Granger, how did you find this?"

"I didn't," she admitted. "I was looking around down here. I was thinking that we can send a lot of the stuff we want to save from the Room of Requirement down here. Those things we want to keep away from the students. While we were looking around, Ginny felt drawn to this wall. She said she could feel something behind it. I have not been able to do anything."

"You probably have to be a descendant of Godric," said Harry. "Let me see if I can open it."

Harry paced his hands on the wall and communed with the castle. All of a sudden, an entrance revealed itself to the quintet. Harry entered first followed by Albus. When Draco went to follow, he was blocked.

"Harry," he called. "It won't let me through."

Harry turned around and looked at his lover thoughtfully.

"Hermione," he said. "See if you can come through."

She walked over and tried to enter, but she too was blocked from entering the small room. Ginny tried next and she passed right through the wards and into the room.

"I guess Godric didn't want anyone not of his blood in here," observed Albus. "Not to worry, we will be right back out."

Harry, Ginny, and Albus all looked around the room. Inside was a sarcophagus. Engraved on the lid was the image of Godric Gryffindor. Harry examined the resting place with interest. Albus and Ginny did not touch. They examined the walls around the room instead. They left the sarcophagus to Harry. He examined the detail in earnest. As he touched his hand to the section of the lid where Godric's hands were holding his stone wand, it opened and revealed the actual wand itself. When Harry picked up the wand, it glowed for a moment.

"I found it," said Harry. "I have Godric's wand. Apparently his children buried him here with it. I have no doubt that if we open this casket, he is inside. However I will not disturb his resting place."

"When we leave, perhaps you should reseal this door so that no one can have access to this monumental place," suggested Albus. "I believe that you are the only one with the power to do that. Not only are you the owner and heir to the castle, but also the current Head Master."

Harry nodded as he showed the others the wand. Both examined the wand with interest. Harry pocketed the wand and escorted the others out of the room. The only thing he wanted was the wand. Now he had it. When they left the room, Harry turned back to the wall and communed with the castle once again. When he was done, the castle effectively sealed off the room. Harry took a deep breath and turned to the others. He showed Draco and Hermione the wand. Harry wrapped his arms around Draco and nestled his head on his shoulder.

"Albus," said Harry. "Did you or Ginny feel anything when you held the wand?"

"I did not," said Albus with a curious look on his face.

"I didn't either," said Ginny.

"I glowed when I first picked up the wand," admitted Harry. "This wand felt just like my own did when I first held it almost six years ago."

"I guess that is Godric's way of telling you that no one is supposed to use this wand except you," said Albus. "I may be quite wrong however. If you like I can try to cast a spell with it and see."

Harry handed Albus the wand. Albus gave it a flick and a table appeared out of thin air. With a second flick he made the table disappear.

"I can use it," said Albus. "I admit that the magic feels sluggish to me. Why don't you try?"

Harry took the wand and gave it a swish. Instead of one table appearing, one hundred tables appeared. Harry had to quickly reverse the spell.

"Oops," he said. "That is as powerful as my own wand or when I am using wandless magic."

"Hmm," said Albus. "I will look into the matter and get back with you on this. For the moment I suggest you apparate us back to your office. I have to get back to the Ministry."

Hermione and Ginny said they would be staying down in the chamber for awhile. Harry grabbed both Albus and Draco and apparated the trio back to his office. Albus bowed to the two young men and stepped into the fire after throwing some floo powder in and flooed back to the Ministry. Harry sat at his desk and Draco sat in his lap.

"He will figure something out," assured Draco. "For the moment, how about we go upstairs and take a soak in that huge tub of ours. We deserve a little quiet time."

Harry and Draco headed up the stairs where they enjoyed each other's company for a few hours.

They got dressed and headed down to the Great Hall for dinner. Harry had not yet sat in the Head Master's place. He left that open until the end of the year. He was not going to diminish the memory of the former Head Master. The school knew that Harry was the Head Master. Harry and the faculty made it quite clear that he had taken over the school. Those that would be coming back the following year knew that changes were in the mix. Those that were leaving were a bit disappointed that they would no longer be around to see what those changes would be.

Harry was just finishing his dinner when a commotion at the entrance to the Great Hall caught his attention. He quickly hurried to the doors to find Percy Weasley standing there. Minerva and Severus were quick to join Harry. Draco was right behind them.

"I want a word with you Potter," snarled Percy.

"Weasley," snapped Minerva. "You are speaking to the Head Master of this school. I suggest that you show him some respect."

"I will show him respect when he dam well earns it," said Percy.

"Why don't we take this to my office," said Harry calmly. "Severus, please lower your wand."

Harry led the group to his office. Draco sat behind his desk as Harry sat behind his. Minerva and Severus sat near Harry. Both had their hands gripped on their wands.

"Why don't you tell me what is bothering you Percy," said Harry.

"I will tell you what is bothering me your freak of nature," said Percy. "You have the audacity to accuse Madam Umbridge of a pack of lies which resulted in her receiving the Dementor's Kiss. You then have the audacity to flaunt your freakish sexual habits all over the school. Now thanks to you my sister is picking up your bad habits. Many may worship the ground you walk on Potter, but I am not one of them. You may have pulled the wool over many people's eyes, but I will not have you subjecting my sister to your abnormality in this school."

Harry eyed Percy for a moment. He was weighing his words to himself before he pronounced them.

"In this world there are all types of people," said Harry calmly. "You have the good, the bad, and the stupid. I will tell you this one time and only once. So let's make sure you can hear me. I have not now nor have I ever subjected Ginny to the privacy of my bedroom. Yes she may have helped set up some of my dates. However your mother and father do not complain so therefore you HAVE NO RIGHT TO OPEN YOUR MOUTH. My sexual conduct stays in the privacy of my bedroom. I do not now nor have I ever had sex with my lover in front of anyone else. As far as that old hag of a toad Umbridge, I have always spoken only the truth. Just because your nose was so far up her ass that you could not see the truth that was slapping you in the face, doesn't mean that the rest of us didn't. She was given a fair trial by a jury of her peers. She lost her case. The next time you ever accuse me of falsely accusing a Ministry member of anything, I can guarantee that it will be the last time you ever jump in anyone's face ever again. You are a pompous ass that doesn't deserve the respect you demand. I have done more for this school and the wizarding community in my years than you will ever do in your entire life. The next time you are in the mood to call someone down, I suggest you do it to someone that will not lay you flat for it. I am not NOW nor will I ever be a FREAK. You better think long and hard before you ever call me that again. I spent fifteen years being called that and I wont tolerate it as an adult."

Harry was breathing heavy by this time. Minerva, Severus, and Draco were speechless. Harry was not one to blow up like this.

"The next time you come into my school and behave the way you do, it will be the last thing you ever do," said Harry. "I am the Head Master here. If you do not like that idea, then you can go stick you head up someone else's ass until you can't see straight. You are never to step foot onto the grounds of Hogwarts again. I am one of the good guys. Draco and Severus are one of the good guys. Minerva and Ginny are one of the good guys. Voldemort and Bellatrix are one of the bad guys. Pettigrew and Umbridge are one of the bad guys. You my former family member are one of the stupid guys. Now kindly excuse yourself from my school. If you ever come here again I will have you arrested for trespassing. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?"

"What are you going to do Potter?" asked Percy with a sneer. "You have no power here at all. You are just a frightened little boy who has to have everyone else's pity."

Harry was so red with anger that Severus and Minerva actually took a step back. All of a sudden the flames in the fireplace turned green and Albus stepped out. His face was livid with fury.

"Draco," said Albus as calmly as he could. "It would be in our best interest for you to use your special gift at calming Harry down. I fear if you don't then Mr. Weasley will be turned into a pile of ashes."

Draco snapped out of his shock and ran to Harry. He threw his arms around Harry's neck and kissed him passionately on the lips. At first Harry was unresponsive. Draco kissed harder. Finally Harry wrapped his hands around Draco and returned the kiss. Draco released him and sat him in his chair. From there Draco sat in his lap. Percy watched the scene with a disgusted look on his face.

"This is the abnormality I was referring to," said Percy. "You keep this away from my sister. I am warning you."

"As Minister of Magic I am going to give you a warning in return," said Albus in his deadliest voice. "You will return to wherever you came from immediately. I will be speaking to your parents about this. From this day forward you will no longer be an employee at the Ministry. You will stay away from Harry, Hogwarts, and Ginny. If I even suspect that you are anywhere near them, then I will have you arrested and sent to Azkaban. I do not like people who use others humiliating background to hurt them just because they disagree. A formal complaint will be filed against you. Now I suggest you leave immediately."

"And if I refuse?" asked Percy.

Harry raised his hands, and Percy found himself standing on the outside of the gates of the school. He tried to get back in. He touched the gate to open it and was thrown ten feet into the air and landed in a heap on his back. He got up and glared at the castle. He stalked away.

Albus was looking at Harry in the eyes in concern.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

"Yeah," said Harry. "I can't believe that I let myself get drawn into that argument."

"I must say Harry," chimed in Severus. "That was some pretty fierce words. I am impressed."

"I will say right here and right now that Mr. Weasley was absolutely wrong," said Albus. "You do NOT flaunt your sexuality in the school. Miss Weasley is plenty old enough to make her own decisions as to what she can or can not be subjected to. Also I want to point out that you re NOT a freak or abnormal in any way."

"I am confused by one thing," said Minerva. "Why would he even say what he said about Ginny? Is there something we are missing?"

"Hermione and Ginny has officially become a couple," said Harry. "No one knows about it except me and Draco. The only reason I am telling you now is because I feel it is in our best interest to do so."

"That would make sense," said Minerva. "Are they soul bonded like you and Draco are?"

"No," said Harry. "Neither has had to save the life of the other, nor have they been faced with a situation where it could be a possibility. To be honest I don't think they will soul bond. Draco and I were both virgins when we became a couple."

"Say no more," said Albus raising his hands. "We do not need to go into the ladies' personal lives."

"Thank you Albus," said Harry looking relieved.

"Well I still have to go talk with Molly and Arthur," said Albus. "I am just glad that you were able to contain your anger as well as you did. You could have done him serious harm without even meaning to."

"Well I do have to set an example for the others," said Harry with a smile. "I am just glad that I have my baby here to help calm me down when I am starting to lose it."

Harry reached under his lap and was seductively massaging Draco in his most sensitive area. Draco was fighting tooth and nail to not let out an audible moan. He could feel Harry hardening under him. Albus looked over at Severus and Minerva and suggested that they escort him downstairs. Harry winked at Albus and the three left the room. Draco turned in Harry's lap and began kissing him on the lips and neck. Harry moaned in pleasure. He waved his wand and cleared everything off the desk. He made sure to keep the noise from reaching the portraits. He conjured a blanket and covered them as he lifted Draco onto the desk and made love to him right there. Draco moaned in pleasure as Harry gave him the best that he had to give. When they were done, they were both drenched in perspiration. They made their way up the stairs to take a shower. Dobby and Winky came in and replaced everything on Harry's desk.

"Well that was interesting," said Everard.

"At least he stayed with us long enough to block both sound and sight," said Phineas.

"I think it is sweet," said Dilys. "It is a true love that will last through out the ages."

"It is about time that Harry and Draco have happiness," said the portrait of Albus.

"Merlin knows they deserve it," piped up Armando.

The portraits continued their talk about Harry and Draco's relationship through the night. Harry had played a CD of all their songs that they had sung to one another. Shortly after midnight both young men had wore themselves out and were asleep tucked in each other's arms.

The next day, Harry got up and he reverently placed the wand of Godric in its place. He sat at his desk and wrote a letter to Ollivander to let him know that he had finally found it. He sent the letter with Hedwig. She nipped his finger gently in affection and flew out of the window. Harry had a sudden inspiration and looked to Apollo and Artemis.

"Would you like to go flying with me?" he asked the phoenixes.

Both trilled happily. Draco came out of their room at that moment.

"May I come too?" he asked.

"I would be honored," said Harry taking his hand.

Both young men climbed up on the ledge of the window and jumped. Transforming in mid air, what was two men, now became a dragon and a phoenix. They flew around the grounds and the Forbidden Forest.

Percy was furious. He went to confront Potter and was seriously defeated. He now lost his job, and his mother and father were refusing to speak to him. The twins were not interested in speaking with him. Bill and Charley thought he was from anther planet. There was no getting to Ron because he was always in Harry's corner. Percy did the only thing he could think of to do. He went to offer his services to the Dark Lord. Potter would pay for what he did. Percy's humiliation would not go unpunished.

AUTHOR'S NOTE – AH the twist. How interesting that a descendant of Gryffindor is now turning to the dark side. Please keep up those wonderful reviews and let me know what you think.


	19. Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

DISCLAIMER – Harry Potter and its affiliates are the sole property of JK Rowling.

DISCLAIMER – Any similarities between my story and someone else's is purely coincidental.

DISCLAIMER – This is a gay slash love story between Draco and Harry. If you are uncomfortable with gay rights or homosexual innuendos then I humbly ask that you not embarrass you or me by reading any further. Thank you for your consideration.

DISCLAIMER – "One Moment in Time" was performed by Whitney Houston for the 1988 Olympics.

NOTE – Thank you all. This by far has been both my best and hardest story to write. I personally feel that the uniqueness of the story and the idea behind it has made this by far a fan favorite. With one chapter to follow behind this one, I hope that I have done my best at keeping both your interest and your heart. I hope my skill at combining a powerful love story with a powerful meaning as well as adding in the bad guys has kept you on the edge of your seats. I will not prolong your anticipation any longer.

**Chapter 19 – Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder**

Time flies when you are having fun. Harry and Draco were no exception to that rule. Before anyone knew it the month of April flew by and May was swiftly filling. Potter House won the quidditch cup to no one's surprise. There was no animosity at this, as the cup was placed in the dorm room on a case made especially for awards for the house. It was already porting an award to Harry, Draco, Ginny, Neville, and Blaise for their timely actions in saving Dean from the poison. Later a second award joined the first one for Harry saving Seamus. Steadily acts of intelligence and bravery started filling the showcase with awards. Hermione got an award for her quick thinking that saved Harry. Things in the castle were a lot easier to handle now that Harry was firmly ensconced as the Head Master and had the full and complete backing of the staff. People like Minerva and Severus were impressed with the maturity of Harry. If Harry had questions about how things should be run in the school, he did not hesitate to ask the staff their opinions. His deliberation on multiple options was admirable to everyone. The monthly dorm checks were still being done. Each Head of House would choose two students to help do the search. Thankfully only minor infractions were ever discovered. Harry was still in charge of Potter House for the moment. He had Madam Hooch and Professor Vector do the search so that no one could claim favoritism. Even more so, it was discussed with Hermione and Ginny about their room also getting searched as well just to prove a point to the rest of the school. Both ladies agreed with his reasoning and had no problems opening their door to which ever teacher was doing the search that month.

The days passed and finally the OWLS and NEWTS were upon them. Harry was extremely nervous as Ginny, Luna, Draco, and Hermione were going to be sitting for their exams. He coached them nightly so that they would all do well in their exams. Harry would sit in the Great Hall as their written exams were done, and then wait as patiently as he could to view their practical exams. He breathed a little easier each day as one by one the exams finished. Albus was present one day as Harry was pacing in his office.

"Harry," he said. "You need to relax. I am sure that all four of them will do splendidly."

"I know," said Harry. "I can't help feel nervous for them. I keep thinking that I didn't cover something with them or that I missed something or that I gave them the wrong information."

Albus laughed as he watched Harry ramble.

"You know I felt the same way when you were taking your exams," said Albus. "The same thing that you are doing now, I did myself. It was such a relief to know that you had passed all of your courses."

"I was just as glad that they were done as anyone else," said Harry laughing.

"So tell me Harry," remarked Albus. "What about Draco made you decide that you wanted him and no other?"

"Well as you know when we first met he and I had a bad run in the first day," said Harry sitting behind his desk. "He insulted Hagrid, and then insulted the Weasleys not long after. I did not like the way he was snubbing everyone. It was an instant dislike from the get go. Then he went out of his way to get me, Hagrid, Hermione, and Ron in trouble when Hagrid had the baby dragon in his hut. That resulted in Gryffindor losing all of those points. He was just being an all around prat."

"I remember clearly those details," said Albus picturing the scenes Harry was talking about clearly in his mind. "I can see where it would have been hard to be friends with him. Please, continue."

"Well after that year, I truly hated him," said Harry with a soft smile on his lips. "Things did not get any better in our second year. He made it to the Slytherin quidditch team and his arrogance was even more pronounced. He was constantly insulting Hermione. He called her a Mudblood and was acting like he knew all about the Chamber of Secrets. His actions of the year made me dislike him even more."

"Yes I do seem to recall he had a whole new vindictiveness about him," said Albus. "Even through it all he was a remarkable young man."

"Yes," said Harry with a blush. "I of course was still a bit too young to understand about relationships and such. We came to school for our third year and as you know I had no time for him or his pranks. He almost got me into trouble when I sneaked out of school to go to Hogsmeade to be with Ron and Hermione. Professor Lupin saved me from Severus. He did give me an earful for doing it. Then as you remember I was very intent on dealing with and saving Sirius. You helped Hermione and I rescue him at the end of term. Of course I was still a bit young and very preoccupied to notice Draco."

"I can imagine," said Albus. "It was one of your finer moments being able to snatch your godfather out of the hands of the Ministry and keep him safe and alive. That was when you produced your first corporeal patronus. I was so proud of you. I am intrigued by your revelations. Please go on."

"Even though I did not really put two and two together," said Harry with a wistful look. "I did not think of Draco in the same way. That whole fiasco with the Goblet of Fire started me wondering about my own sexuality. I was fourteen and the hormones were starting to kick in. I admired Cedric from afar, but whenever I looked at Draco I would get flushed and couldn't remember what I was doing at the time. His taunting was annoying to say the least, but it didn't bother me as much as it normally did. As you remember I was having jealousy issues with Ron. The fake Moody had turned Draco into a ferret and that was when it hit me that I was starting to have feelings for Draco."

"I am so glad that you pulled through that year," said Albus sadly. "I know you went through a lot when you had to watch Voldemort come back. The pain in your eyes when you came back and Cedric was dead. It very nearly killed me. I knew then that something was different about you. I knew that you were even more remarkable than you were the previous three years. I could sense a maturity about you. I could tell that you were starting to view the world in a different light. Why don't you continue with this delightful tale? I am very intrigued by what you are saying."

"Well all that summer my one thought that helped me cope with Cedric's death was Draco," said Harry picking up his story again. "We had to go to the trial because I cast a patronus to save me and Dudley. Umbridge by that time had already decided it was time to hurt me. Then Fudge made us have her as a teacher. I don't need to go into details about everything she did to me. You were trying so hard to help me and it just was not helping. I noticed that Draco was doing what he was supposed to, but it did not seem like his heart was in it. He kept up the pretense of hating me, but I was beginning to feel like he was faking it. Those members of the DA that went with me to the Department of Mysteries were far outnumbered by Draco and his group. Yet without a wand, Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Luna were able to get away from people much stronger and more powerful than they were. My instinct told me that Draco had something to do with it. However I couldn't prove it. Then Sirius was killed by Bellatrix and I could not seem to pull myself together. I thought about Draco from time to time and my body would react. Well you know what happened from there. We started talking and now I love him more than my own life."

"So what you are saying," said Dumbledore trying to clarify things. "Is that even though Draco was a monster to you and you hated each other, you still was able to let your heart come to the front and make its demand."

"I think there is an old cliché," said Harry. "Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder. I can not live without him in my life. Something tells me that were something to happen to him, then I will not be long in this world. My heart and soul is too wrapped up around him to live long without him."

"I like that old proverb," mused Albus. "Indeed, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. My first love now sits in Nurmengard."

"Isn't that the prison of Gellert Grindelwald?" asked Harry.

"It is," said Albus sadly. "I had to place my lover there when he went too far into the dark side of things. He attempted to hurt my brother Aberforth. It was then that I had to fight and stop him. I hunted him down in 1945 and defeated him and won this very wand."

"What is so special about your wand?" asked Harry curiously.

"This is the Elder wand," said Albus. "It has many names and is a very old wand."

"That wand is also known as the Death Stick," said Harry speculatively.

"Very good," said Albus. "You remember your history. Yes, this is the deadliest wand on the planet. It is one of the reasons that Voldemort wants me dead so bad. If he can defeat me then he can lay claim to this wand. It is part of a trio of items known as the Deathly Hallows."

"I know that story from the book named _The Tales of Beetle the Bard_," said Harry. "These three items were supposed to be made by death himself."

"Very good," said Albus. "It is said that whoever unites all three items will be master of death."

"I wonder where the other two items are," said Harry.

"I am glad you asked," said Albus pulling out a ring and setting it on the desk.

"Wasn't that a Horcrux?" asked Harry.

"Indeed it was," said Albus as Harry examined the crack down the middle of the stone. "The stone that is set in the ring is also known as the Resurrection Stone. By turning the stone you were able to summon the spirit of the deceased. It is not a happy life to want to be with the one you love while that person has already died and moved on. Also it makes the spirit unhappy as well as it is more or less chained to this plain of existence."

"So what and where is the third Hallow?" asked Harry.

"Ah," said Albus. "It is upstairs hanging in your closet. If you remember the story, then you would also remember that the third Hallow was the Cloak of Invisibility. Ignotus Peverell was the owner of the cloak."

"I remember that the Peverell family is in my family tree," said Harry.

"Correct," said Albus. "Even though the stone is cracked, it can still be used. With you having the cloak and I having the Elder wand, we can keep the Hallows from uniting."

"What are we going to do with the stone?" asked Harry. "It would stand to reason that if one of us has more than one, then we are subjected to more attacks."

"It just so happens that I agree with you," said Albus. "I was thinking that we can get Miss Granger to hold on to the third Hallow for us. That way there is less chance of anyone uniting them. You and I are honorable in the fact that we would never use the power, but the same can not be said for many others."

"I would imagine not," said Harry. "Besides you and I are powerful enough without adding something like this to it."

"Very wise of you," said Albus. "If I die naturally and no one beats me for the wand, then its power will pass when I do. However if say you were to disarm me, then the power would change to your hands. Do you understand what I mean?"

"Yes," said Harry thoughtfully. "As the rightful owner, you have to be able to stop that from happening. Even an accident could cause the wand to switch owners. Who else knows that this is the Elder Wand?"

"Gellert, you, and I," said Albus. "I think Voldemort suspects, but as of yet, he has no proof."

"Then we must keep him from finding out completely," said Harry. "Let him continue to suspect. At the moment he would be the only one that we have to worry about with regards to attempting to take the wand from you. I for one have no desire to have more power."

"Again I say that is very wise," said Albus.

"Well we can always ask Hermione when she is done with her exams," said Harry. "If she feels uncomfortable with it, then I have no doubt that Severus will protect this for us."

"I think you are right," said Albus. "We definantly don't want to pressure Miss Granger. Severus is a good choice if she refuses."

"Shall we go down and see how everyone is doing?" asked Harry. "Their DADA practical should be over with by now."

"I believe you are right," said Albus motioning to the map. "Draco is on his way up. Shall we go and great him?"

"Music to my ears," said Harry laughing and standing. "I want him in my arms pretty badly right now."

"Well then let us not delay," said Albus chuckling. 

The two men left the office and met Draco in the corridor leading to their suite. Harry walked up and wrapped Draco in his arms and gave him a kiss on the lips.

"How was it babe?" asked Harry.

"I think it went very well," said Draco. "Hermione and I both got high praise from the examiners."

"That is great news," said Harry. "I wonder how Ginny and Luna did."

"I have no doubt that they did just as well," said Albus. "After all they had you for a teacher."

"Thanks Albus," said Harry with a smile. "Are you staying this evening for dinner? I am sure it will give the students a morale booster to see you."

"I would like that very much," said Albus with a twinkle in his eyes.

Laughing the trio headed back to the Great Hall. Albus was met by a round of applause which he accepted jovially. They made their way to their tables and Harry pointed to the chair that Albus always sat in.

"Your seat," said Harry. "I refuse to sit in it until the end of term."

Albus stood in front of his chair and looked around. The students and faculty watched him. Albus cleared his throat and began.

"As Minister of Magic," he began. "I have the privilege of making a small announcement. I have been in this school for many years. I have watched my students and faculty with great care. It is my privilege to announce that the Teacher of the Year Award goes to Professor Harry Potter."

There was a loud applause as Albus twirled his wand and a plaque with the validation appeared on it. Harry smiled sheepishly as he accepted his award. Albus smiled at him and turned back to the assembly.

"I also have watched closely, the students in this school," he said. "Therefore I have the privilege of awarding the Student of the Year Award to two very outstanding individuals. Please give a big round of applause to Miss Hermione Granger and Mr. Draco Malfoy."

Many students in the Great Hall knew that Hermione and Draco had earned that award. Many students had been tutored or helped by one or the other. No one seemed to care that both students were close to Harry Potter. Albus twiddled his wand again and two awards appeared. He bowed as he presented them to their recipients. When he finished handing them their awards and they sat down, Albus lifted his hands and the food appeared on the table. Harry stood up and went over to Hermione and kissed her on the cheek. He turned to Draco and leaned over.

"Remind me to reward you later," he whispered.

He returned to his spot at the head table and sat down. Draco was red from his cheeks all the way down his neck. Dinner was a lively affair. When everyone was done eating, Harry stood up and got the attention of the students.

"As today was the last day for exams for our fifth and seventh year students," he said. "I have a small gift for them."

He flicked his wand and a CD appeared. With a second flick the music started and Harry begun to sing.

_Each day I live, I want to be  
A day to give the best of me  
I'm only one, but not alone  
My finest day is yet unknown_

I broke my heart for every gain  
To taste the sweet, I faced the pain  
I rise and fall, yet through it all  
This much remains

I want one moment in time  
When I'm more than I thought I could be  
When all of my dreams are a heart beat away  
And the answers are all up to me

_Give me one moment in time  
When I'm racing with destiny  
Then in that one moment of time  
I will feel, I will feel eternity_

I've lived to be the very best  
I want it all, no time for less  
I've laid the plans, now lay the chance  
Here in my hands

Give me one moment in time  
When I'm more than I thought I could be  
When all of my dreams are a heart beat away  
And the answers are all up to me

Give me one moment in time  
When I'm racing with destiny  
Then in that one moment of time  
I will feel, I will feel eternity

_You're a winner for a lifetime  
If you seize that one moment in time, make it shine_

Give me one moment in time  
When I'm more than I thought I could be  
When all of my dreams are a heart beat away  
And the answers are all up to me

_Give me one moment in time  
When I'm racing with destiny  
Then in that one moment of time  
I will be, I will be, I will be free, I will be, I will be free_

When he finished singing everyone in the Great Hall was on their feet applauding. The faculty was seen wiping their eyes as they too stood and applauded. Albus beamed a smile at Harry that held so much praise that it made him blush.

Dinner ended on that note and the students left to head off to attend their duties. Hermione went over to talk with Professor Vector about sitting in her classes for the last two weeks and observing how she handled the different years. Upon getting approval, she looked to Harry who nodded his head in agreement. Draco watched and then did the same thing with Severus who nodded his head in agreement as well. When that bit of business was over and the hall had emptied, Harry walked up and slid his arms around Draco's waist.

"Severus," said Harry. "Would you be kind enough to escort the Minister? I have a promise to keep."

Severus and Albus both laughed as Harry turned and apparated the couple back to their room. Harry slowly undressed Draco. He kissed Draco on the neck and slid his lips to his nipples. From there he pushed Draco onto the bed where he trailed kisses from his chest all the way to Draco's abdomen. He fondled Draco in a way that made the other's body arc with pleasure. As Draco's body arced, Harry bit his neck with a passion that sent the blond over the edge. Harry found Draco's lips and kissed him with the passion and fire that always drove them both crazy. Harry then waved his wand and caused all clothes to appear in a heap on the floor. Draco shifted his hips in invitation, and Harry gave him exactly what he wanted. Later when they had recovered, Draco decided to award Harry for his success in the same fashion. Harry then had the inspiration to serenade Draco with another love song.

_My love,  
There's only you in my life  
The only thing that's bright_

My first love,  
You're every breath that I take  
You're every step I make

_And I  
(i-i-i-i-i)  
I want to share  
All my love with you  
No one else will do..._

And your eyes  
Your eyes, your eyes  
They tell me how much you care  
_Ooh yes, you will always be  
My endless love_

Two hearts,  
Two hearts that beat as one  
Our lives have just begun

Forever  
(ohhhhhh)  
_I'll hold you close in my arms  
I can't resist your charms_

And love  
Oh, love  
I'll be a fool  
For you,  
I'm sure  
You know I don't mind  
_Oh, you know I don't mind_

'cause you,  
You mean the world to me  
Oh  
I know  
I know  
I've found in you  
My endless love

_Oooh-woow  
Boom, boom  
Boom, boom, boom, boom, booom  
Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom_

_Oooh, and love  
Oh, love  
I'll be that fool  
For you,  
I'm sure  
You know I don't mind  
Oh you know-  
I don't mind_

And, yes  
You'll be the only one  
'cause no one can deny  
This love I have inside  
And I'll give it all to you  
My love  
My love, my love  
My endless love

Both young men fell asleep in each other's arms. The moonlight shone on their skin bathing both in her silver light.

Percy had finally found what he was looking for. After weeks of searching, he found someone who could take him to the Dark Lord. It was with surprise that the Dark Lord granted him audience. Percy entered the room and got down on his knees in front of Voldemort.

"Now why would a Weasley want to swear fealty to me?" asked Voldemort in an evil whisper.

"I want revenge on Potter for all the trouble he has brought into my family's lives," said Percy. "I have relevant information pertaining to Harry Potter. My source tells me that he has found Gryffindor's wand. I have other information to give if you allow me to enter into your service."

"I could just take the information right out of your head," said Voldemort with a sneer. "I am looking for people like you however, that are interested in bringing about the downfall of Harry Potter. You must take the Dark Mark. Then you will tell me everything I want to know."

"I accept," said Percy.

A scream tore through the air as Voldemort branded Percy with the Dark Mark. When Percy had regained enough of his composure, the Dark Lord and he sat for hours with Percy telling Voldemort everything he learned from his source in the school.

"You have done well," said Voldemort. "Keep in contact with your source. Have them keep you posted with news about the new Head Master and his lover."

"As you wish my Lord," said Percy.

"Go now," said Voldemort. "I have other matters to attend to."

Percy bowed and left the room. When he was gone, Voldemort turned to Bellatrix.

"Put a tail on him," he said. "Find out who this source is and how reliable they are. If you succeed in this task Bella, I will award you beyond your wildest dreams."

"Thank you Master," she said grabbing and kissing his hand.

He lifted her face and stared into her eyes. He leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. She flushed with pleasure and then got up to leave. She was stopped at the door by his voice.

"If you fail me again Bella," he said. "You will wish you were dead when I am done with you. Find Nagini and send her to me. I have a job for her."

Bella bowed again and left the room to search for the snake.

The next morning, Harry and Draco woke with a smile on their faces. This would be a great new world they were creating.

"Just think," said Draco. "In two weeks we will be married. I am so excited."

"As am I," said Harry pinching him on the ass as he got out of bed. "That reminds me, the moms want to meet with us around one for a complete run down of the wedding and such."

"I look forward to that," said Draco with a smile. "In the meantime I think you should get up and we need to hit the shower. Breakfast will be served soon and I am hungry."

Harry got up and kissed him before they headed to the shower. Twenty minutes later, they were headed out the door towards the Great hall for the meal. Yes, today would be a great day.

The day arrived which signified the end of the school year. Harry still had not sat in the Head Master's seat yet. When the student arrived and sat down for the end of the year feast, Harry stood up.

"Another year has gone by," he said. "Changes have been made and new beginnings have started. This year I have the honor of presenting the House Cup. In fifth place with two hundred and three points is Slytherin House. In fourth place with two hundred and forty nine points is Ravenclaw House. In third place with three hundred and twenty two points is Gryffindor House. In second place with three hundred and fifty seven points is Potter House. The winner this year with three hundred and sixty nine points is Hufflepuff House. Congratulations to you all for your hard work."

Harry turned and handed the cup to Pomona. Severus, Minerva, and Filius all shook her hand. This was the first time in a very long time that Hufflepuff House won the House Cup.

"To all of our seventh year students," said Harry when the applause died. "Please know that you will be missed. Congratulations to our graduating class. LET'S EAT!"

Harry sat down and the food appeared on the table. The students were in high spirits as they ate. After dinner was done, the student went to their dorms for some last minute packing. Harry and Draco took a walk around the lake holding hands.

AUTHOR'S NOTE – You will not find out anything more about Voldemort and his lackeys until the next book. The final chapter will be all about the wedding and the beauty of it. Thank you for your appreciation of this story.


	20. The Wedding

DISCLAIMER – Harry Potter and its affiliates are the sole property of JK Rowling.

DISCLAIMER – Any similarities between my story and someone else's is purely coincidental.

DISCLAIMER – This story is a gay love story between Harry and Draco. If you are uncomfortable with gay rights or homosexual innuendoes then I humbly ask that you not read beyond this point. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

DISCLAIMER – "You Are So Beautiful To Me" is sung by Joe Cocker. "I Finally Found a Love of a Lifetime" is performed by Firehouse. "It's Your Love" is sung by Tim and Faith.

DISCLAIMER – A thank you goes to Tracy Hicks and Margaret Weis for their portion of my wedding scene.

NOTE – Thank you all for following along with this story. It has been a great pleasure to bring joy and the thought that true love can exist in this world or any other. Thank you all for the wonderful reviews that you have been giving me for this story. Your support and loyalty means everything to me. I hope that each of you that are reading can picture this chapter in your minds eye as you are reading. I am being very careful with it as I want it to be beautiful. Once again I will be drawing your attention to lots of detail. Also please remember that there will be no mention of the bad guys in this chapter. So if you are ready, here is the final chapter of this book. The sequel is entitled "Potter to Potter". I hope it is as much of a success as this one was.

**Chapter 20 – The Wedding**

The last days flew for both Harry and Draco. One minute they were eating dinner and the next day saw them in meetings almost hourly with the faculty and the moms. It was the last day before the wedding when Narcissa, Molly, and Petunia sat the young men down for the final walk through of the wedding.

"Boys," said Petunia. "We have everything completed. Now that the students are gone, the elves are working with the remaining staff to decorate the Great Hall."

"Ok," said Harry. "Did someone go and get the rings from the jewelers?"

"Severus went this morning," said Molly. "We have all of the invitations sent as well as gotten a reply from everyone."

"How many guests are we looking to have at this wedding?" asked Draco.

"It will be in the neighborhood of seven hundred," said Narcissa looking at her list. "We have people from the Ministry, the staff, many of your school mates will be coming back tomorrow, and foreign friends."

"What foreign friends?" asked harry.

"Madam Maxime from France, and Viktor Krum from Bulgaria, also some young ladies named Fleur and Gabrielle Delacour," said Petunia looking up from her list.

"Very good," said Harry. "Are the Diggory's on that list?"

"Yes they are," said Molly. "They are still good friends even after the fiasco with the tri wizard tournament. They were delighted to receive their invitation."

"Harry and Draco, we never discussed who was going to be the ring carriers," said Petunia. "I have a suggestion for that."

"We are open to ideas," said Draco. "Who did you have in mind?"

"How about we ask Dobby and Winky?" asked Petunia. "I bet they would be delighted to be a part of this wonderful event."

"That is a great idea," said Harry happily. "Have you talked with them yet?"

"Actually I have," said Petunia. "They were in tears when I asked."

"They are usually like that when you offer them something this wonderful," said Draco. "How do we go about getting them an outfit without actually setting them free? They don't want to not be bonded to me and Harry."

"We have already taken care of that," said Narcissa. "They will be gifted from me as mother of one of the grooms. As the clothes are just a loaner rather than actually giving them clothes, they assured me that the bond will not break. Even if the bond were to break, they would still want to be your elves."

"That is a relief," said Harry. "I love those little elves. They are as much a part of my family as the rest of you."

"I think it is safe to say that we all feel that way about them," said Petunia.

Everyone laughed at this. Dobby and Winky were a favorite among the faculty and family. Both elves were much loved and cared for. Harry saw to it that each and every elf in the castle was seen immediately if they were sick. All of their needs were taken care of. The elves that lived in the castle were very fond of Harry. Dobby and Winky were very protective of both Harry and Draco.

"So one of you will have to sleep in Hermione and Ginny's suite," said Molly. "It is tradition. Draco I think you should do that."

"That is fine with me," said Draco. "This will be the first time in close to a year that he and I have not slept in the same bed."

"It is just until after the wedding," said Petunia with a giggle. "We will have your bags packed for your honeymoon."

"We have not given thought to where we will be going," said Harry.

"That is already taken care of," said Narcissa. "You will be going to Niagra Falls on the North American continent. Albus has already gotten permission from the Minister of Magic in the United States. I am afraid that you will have to travel like a muggle. Someone from their Ministry will meet you at the airport. You will be gone for about two weeks."

"Who will stay to keep an eye on our office?" asked Harry. "I hate to leave the books and wands alone for too long. I have already strengthened the wards, but I hate to leave them alone for too long."

"Albus will be staying here while you are gone," said Molly. "He is the most powerful wizard besides you that can protect those items. Plus Narcissa, Andromeda, Dora, Arthur, and I will be staying her in the castle to help defend it in case something goes wrong."

"That makes us feel better," said Harry wrapping his arms around Draco.

"It makes us feel better also," said Molly.

"So what else is there?" asked Harry. "I still have a few things I need to get done today before I can rest easy."

"I believe that covers everything," said Petunia. "Do not forget to have your vows and song ready for tomorrow. Molly's son Bill will help you get ready Harry, and Blaise will help Draco get ready. You both can relax. We have everything covered."

"I never had any doubts," said Harry getting up and kissing each mom on the cheek.

Draco followed suit and then they both left to attend their duties in the castle. Later that evening, key members of the wedding started arriving at the castle. Neville, Luna, and Dudley were the ones to go and meet the arrivals. Augusta Longbottom was one of the first to arrive. A certain area had been set up for the gifts for the couple. She set her gift on the table and then went to the dorm to sit and relax. Harry, Albus and a few people were in his office while Draco, Severus, and a few people were in the rooms that Hermione and Ginny shared. The five houses would be opened so that the guests could stay there. Everyone was delighted by that. Harry and Draco had not seen the Great Hall. The three moms would not allow them to lay eyes on it until they stepped in and walked up the aisle. Conversations that evening were light and pleasant. Each young man was nervous and their friends were doing their best to alleviate their discomfort. Albus set himself up on a cot in Harry's room to make sure that the young man that was so dear to him got some sleep.

Harry finally went to sleep. Albus and Bill sat there talking for a little while. Harry tossed and turned a bit. Without Draco there, he was restless in his sleep. Draco meanwhile was in the same condition as Harry was. Neither young man was used to sleeping alone.

The next day dawned early. Harry and Draco were so nervous that they hardly ate anything. It took Poppy to threaten them with the foulest tasting potion she and Severus could come up with for them to grudgingly to eat a light breakfast.

Molly, Petunia, and Narcissa were overseeing the Great Hall. The sprays of red and white roses left a wonderful perfume to the air. Great arches were over the aisle every so many feet. The roses were entwined into the arches so that they hung over as Harry and Draco would pass. Baby bunting was draped on the backs of the chairs. Red and white was displayed everywhere. Guests were treated to a small floral arrangement of a red and white rose with some baby's breath. As the guest would enter the hall, a corsage was pinned to the lapel of their robes. A couple of other students assisted with the seating.

Narcissa and Molly were together in a Narcissa's room getting dressed with the help of two house elves. Narcissa was going to be dressed in a pale green gown. The diamonds and emeralds she wore for the Christmas party accented the low cut gown. She was a striking woman. She had her hair pile high on her head and let ringlets drop down to brush her shoulders. She had diamond and emerald hair clips in her blond hair to keep it in place. Molly was wearing a gown in the color of beige. It went well with her red hair. She wore diamond and ruby jewelry. Like Narcissa she had her hair piled up on her head and held in place with jeweled pins.

Hermione and Ginny were in their room getting dressed. The lavender gowns were very complimentary to the complexion and body shapes of the young women. Both had amethyst and diamond jewelry to accent the gowns. Like the older women, they wore their hair pilled up on their heads. Hermione had used a special type of gel to tame her wild main of hair. With the help of a house elf, Ginny had her hair curled and styled to sit on the back of her head and come down in wavy ringlets.

Severus and Ron were in his rooms getting dressed. Ron had gone to a barber and had his hair cut short in a flattering style. Severus had his hair cleaned from the potion and tied back at the nape of his neck with a thong. Both men wore navy blue suits with sky blue shirts under them. The difference in the colors contrasted very nicely with one another. Both men wore a sapphire ring on their finger. To say that they were handsome men would have been an understatement. When they were finished getting dressed, they made their way to collect Hermione and Ginny.

Albus wore his dress robes. His long velvet robes were a combination of purple and white. The Gryffindor and Ravenclaw Crests were on the lapel. He was already dressed and standing in the Great Hall.

Bill was working with Harry. After Harry was showered, he put on his clothes. He wore the ruby ring that Draco had given him as well as the ring that had been his father's. His black tux was elegantly designed with the tails. His red shirt was a wonderful contrast with the black. The black cumber bun and tie were beautiful. In his lapel was a red and white rose. Bill sat Harry down and went to work on his hair. After an hour went by, he made very little headway with it and gave up. Harry wore the bracelet that Draco had given him. A few times during the preparations, Bill had to place Harry's head between his knees to help him breath. This earned a few laughs.

Down in his room, Draco was getting ready in his tux. He too was wearing a black tux with the tails. His emerald green shirt sat beautifully with the black. For his jewelry he wore the emerald ring that Harry had given him and Lily's wedding ring. His mother had given him a diamond bracelet to wear on his wrist. As with Harry, Draco had to be helped to breath on occasions as his nerves would cause him to panic. When Draco was ready, Blaise led him to the small room that was off the Great Hall where his Mother and Molly were waiting.

Vernon had dressed in a black suit with a white shirt. He had lost some weight due to his extensive exercise with working around the castle. Petunia and set her hair in a bun on the nape of her neck. She was dressed in an olive colored gown. She wore jewelry that consisted of diamonds and peridots which accented her gown beautifully. When they were finished getting ready, they went to the other small room off the Great Hall to wait for Harry.

Bill led Harry down the stairs and led him to the room where Petunia and Vernon were waiting. When he entered the room his relatives gushed at how handsome he looked. He sat down as his breathing became irregular.

"I went through the same thing when I married your aunt," said Vernon. "I totally understand how you are feeling. You have your vows and song ready?"

"Yes I am ready," said Harry.

Meanwhile Draco was going through something very similar in his room. He was helped by Molly and Narcissa.

The guests arrived and with them the time of the ceremony. Everyone was seated waiting eagerly for this wedding to get started. The beauty that surrounded the Great Hall in preparation for this monumental ceremony was breath taking to everyone.

As they waited, the music started for the first song. They sat with delight as they listened to the words of the melody.

_Dancing in the dark, middle of the night  
Taking your heart and holding it tight  
Emotional touch, touching my skin  
And asking you to do what you've been doing all over again_

Oh, it's a beautiful thing  
Don't think I can keep it all in  
I just gotta let you know  
What it is that won't let me go

It's your love, it just does something to me  
It sends a shock right through me  
I can't get enough and if you wonder  
About the spell I'm under, oh, it's your love

Better than I was, more than I am  
And all of this happened by taking your hand  
And who I am now is who I wanted to be  
And now that we're together I'm stronger than ever, I'm happy and free

Oh, it's a beautiful thing  
Don't think I can keep it all in, no  
And if you asked me why I changed  
All I gotta do is say your sweet name

It's your love, it just does something to me  
It sends a shock right through me  
I can't get enough and if you wonder  
About the spell I'm under, oh, it's your love, oh, baby

Oh, it's a beautiful thing  
Don't think I can keep it all in  
I just gotta let you know  
What it is that won't let me go

It's your love, it just does something to me  
It sends a shock right through me  
I can't get enough and if you wonder  
About the spell I'm under, oh, it's your love  
It's your love, it's your love

As the doors opened the guests all stood. Dobby and Winky in their little outfits were applauded as each carried a ring on a little satin pillow. When the lyrics ended, the doors opened again and a very pale and nervous Harry was escorted down the aisle by Vernon and Petunia. They made their slow walk up to the dais where Albus stood smiling at him. When they arrived, Hermione and Ron stood waiting for him.

"Who gives this man away?" asked Albus.

"His Aunt and I do," said Vernon proudly.

Albus smiled as the Dursleys went to sit next to their son.

The doors to the Great Hall opened again. Molly and Narcissa led a very scared looking Draco down the aisle. When they approached the dais, Severus and Ginny stood up.

"Who gives this man away?" asked Albus once more.

"His mother and I do," said Molly proudly.

Albus smiled as both women kissed Draco on the cheek and went to sit near Arthur and the Dursleys.

"Who stands for this man?" asked Albus pointing at Harry.

"I do," said Ron and Hermione together.

"And who stands for this man?" asked Albus pointing at Draco.

"I do," said Severus and Ginny together.

"Let it be known that Harry and Draco are loved by one another, and all present," said Albus addressing the guests. "Does anyone here have an objection to the uniting of these two men?"

After scanning the crowd and not getting a response, Albus smiled and continued with the ceremony.

"The left hand is the hand of the heart," said Albus. "I now asked Harry and Draco to clasp left hands."

Harry and Draco looked at each other with tears in their eyes and clasped their hands together.

"We join our left hands," continued Albus. "So that the love in their hearts that Harry and Draco have, can combine to form something greater as two streams join together to form a mighty river. The river flows through the land, branching off into tributaries, exploring new ways yet ever drawn to the eternal sea. Receive their love, Merlin. Bless it and grant them peace at least in their hearts, even if there is no peace in this shattered land. It is said that these two young men have written their own vows and will grace us with the power of their voices in song."

Harry looked over to Draco. His focus on his lover was so firm that many wondered if he remembered that they were present.

"Draco," said Harry. "Our paths started in the dark. We traveled down many roads that were hard and bitter. Pain has touched our lives more than once. We did not falter in our steps as we headed for the light at the end of that moonless night. From the dark, our hearts touched and became one. We love, laugh, cry, and hurt together as one. You mean more to me than the air that I breathe. I would be willing to lose everything that I have just to ensure that I never lose you. You are my heart, soul, and world. I never want to live without you. When death takes you from me I will plead that he takes me too. I love you with everything that I have in me to love with. You are now the keeper of my heart forever more."

Harry turned slightly and made sure his voice would not crack with nerves and emotion. He twitched his hand and a CD started playing. He looked at Draco and began to sing.

_You are so beautiful  
To me  
You are so beautiful  
To me  
Can't you see  
You're everything I hoped for_  
_You're everything I need  
You are so beautiful  
To me_

You are so wonderful  
To me  
You are so wonderful  
To me  
Can't you see  
You're everything I hoped for  
You're everything I need  
You are so wonderful  
To me

_You are so beautiful  
To me  
You are so beautiful  
To me  
Can't you see  
You're everything I hoped for  
You're everything I need  
You are so beautiful  
To me_

When Harry was done singing, there was not a dry eye in the Hall. As the tears flowed, each person looked over to Draco. They wondered what eloquence would come from the beautiful blond man.

"Harry," said Draco. "I was a closed hearted individual when we met. I was in the mindset that I was better than everyone else. I led you onto a dark path with my argumentative ways and hatred of someone that I was astounded to find out was better than I was. We had a rocky start and we have worked hard to journey to the location where we are at this point. You make me smile, laugh, cry, fear, and most of all love. You have introduced me to the light where I feel comforted by the warmth of the sun and moon light as well as your arms when they encircle me and make me feel alive. You have shown nothing but love, tenderness, and compassion to me. I love you more than life itself. I count my lucky stars every day that somewhere and somehow, someone felt that I deserved you in my life. Thank you for being the wonderful man that you are and for giving me the love that you do. I will love you now and until the day we depart this world. I hope that the power that guides us takes me from this world when they take you. I hope that we pass into the next realm as loving and devoted to one another as we are now."

He turned slightly and twitched his hand causing a CD to appear and start playing. The lyrics were just as hauntingly beautiful when sung by Draco as when Harry had sung his own song.

_I guess the time was right for us to say  
We'd take our time and live our lives together day by day_  
_We'll make a wish and send it on a prayer  
We know our dreams can all come true  
With love that we can share_

With you I never wonder  
Will you be there for me  
With you I never wonder  
You're the right one for me

_I finally found the love of a lifetime  
A love to last my whole life through  
I finally found the love of a lifetime  
Forever in my heart, I finally found the love of a lifetime_

With every kiss our love is like brand new  
And every star up in the sky was made for me and you  
Still we both know that the road is long  
We know that we will be together because our love is strong

I finally found the love of a lifetime  
A love to last my whole life through  
I finally found the love of a lifetime  
Forever in my heart, I finally found the love of a lifetime

_I finally found the love of a lifetime  
A love to last my whole life through, yeah  
I finally found the love of a lifetime  
Forever in my heart, I finally found the love of a lifetime_

I finally found the love of a lifetime  
I finally found the love of a lifetime  
I finally found the love of a lifetime  
Forever in my heart, I finally found the love of a lifetime

When Draco was done singing, he looked at Harry who was openly crying with the emotions that were flooding his body. Albus dried his eyes and continued with the ceremony.

"Do you Harry James Potter," said Albus. "Take Draco to be your lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold, in sickness, and in health, until death do you part?"

"I honestly do," said Harry through his tears.

"Then prove your love to Draco by putting the ring which symbolizes those vows on his finger," said Albus.

Harry knelt next to Dobby and took the ring from the elf. With a hug to the elf, he stood up and turned to Draco.

"By placing this ring on your finger," he said. "I am hereby proclaiming that from this day forth to be your husband in every meaning of the word."

When Harry placed the ring on Draco's finger, a golden glow surrounded their hands. Many of the guests were surprised by this. Albus turned to Draco and continued the ceremony.

"Do you Draco Lucius Malfoy," said Albus. "Take Harry to be your lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold, in sickness, and in health, until death do you part?"

"There is no question in my heart that I do," said Draco.

"Then prove your love to Harry by putting the ring which symbolizes those vows on his finger," said Albus.

Like Harry, Draco knelt next to Winky and took the ring off the pillow. He gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Standing he placed the ring on Harry's finger. Once again the golden glow surrounded their hands.

"By the powers invested in me," said Albus. "I now pronounce you married. Harry and Draco, you may kiss your husband."

Harry and Draco took a step closer to one another. Draco reached up and draped his arms around Harry's neck as Harry wrapped his arms around Draco's waist. As their lips touched, that same golden glow surrounded the two men in its brilliant light flared up again.

"May I be the first to announce Mr. Harry and Mr. Draco Potter," said Albus beaming.

The guests that were sitting in the hall all stood and applauded. With the assistance of Minerva, and Filius, Albus moved the chairs to the sides of the Hall. From there, they created a dance floor. The elves started filling tables with food and drink. The wedding cake stood on a table by itself.

"I believe it is time for Harry and Draco to have their first dance as a wedded couple," said Albus causing their first song to play again.

As they spun on the dance floor, more couples started to join them. From there the reception got into full swing. Doves, phoenixes, owls, and other birds were flying in the air to the delight of the crowd. Harry and Draco were lost in their own world. It was for them and them alone that everything existed. They spun on the floor so deep into each others eyes that they were a bit surprised as others tapped them on the shoulders to cut in.

Gender and person did not matter for those that were dancing. When someone felt like dancing, they got up and danced with whoever was free at the moment.

Later as they stood behind the table while a professional photographer took pictures, Harry and Draco cut the cake. They fed bits of cake to each other. People had a hard time getting them to stand still long enough and to take their lips off of one another to respond to comments. No one was offended or angry. They laughed as either Harry or Draco would grab the other and give his partner a passionate kiss.

Hours passed as the reception started to die out. Narcissa and Molly were true to their word and had the elves bring Harry and Draco's bags down. Albus sent the bags to the airport with an Auror who would be waiting for the couple. Harry and Draco turned to the crowd for one last time.

"We would like to thank each and every goblin, human, centaur, and elf who appeared today to help us rejoice," said Harry. "I speak for both Draco and myself when I say that it has touched our hearts that you were all able to attend this event. We love you all."

There was loads of clapping as Harry wrapped his arms around Draco and apparated them to the airport. Twenty minutes later saw the couple sitting in first class on the airplane. They held hands and chatted about minor things for the entire flight. Even when they napped, Draco's head was laying on Harry's shoulder. They were met the following day at the airport in New York by an Auror who helped them apparate to their hotel room. Once they were checked in, Harry and Draco went to see the sights. They went to view the falls, and many other things. When night descended upon them, Harry and Draco were in their room enjoying the evening.

Harry slowly undressed Draco. When he was done, Draco undressed Harry. When they were both nude, they laid together on the bed. Harry gently and reverently took Draco in his arms. As their lips touched that evening their passion flared for one another. Many times that night they proved over and over again how much they loved one another. They made love many times that night. When the sun came up, Harry and Draco stood together wrapped in each other's arms watching the view before them.

"I love you Dragon," said Harry kissing Draco on the lips.

"And I love you Phoenix," said Draco returning with a kiss of his own.

The couple spent a wonderful two weeks letting the world take care of itself.

AUTHOR'S NOTE – Thank you all for following with me on this story. The name of the Sequel is Potter to Potter. You have all been so wonderful with your reviews and comments. I personally thank each and every one of you for following along and staying with me and showing me the love and devotion that you have. Without you there could be no me as an author.


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